tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68436911297507419162017-09-07T16:07:49.966-07:00Stan the Man | My Master PlanA little place to share my thoughts, adventures, questions, and comments on life...Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-79618095350691706112013-12-01T14:40:00.000-08:002013-12-01T14:40:02.715-08:00One Last Hurrah <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hey there, from 34,000 feet! I'm about a half hour into my flight to PDX and I thought I'd squeeze in one final post before I get home (and have a burger!) while flying. So here we go!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last two days in Barcelona were pretty quick, so I'll just touch on them briefly. I got a swanky four star hotel in the Eixample area for only&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span class="Unicode">€</span></span>4</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">0/night...gotta love HotWire lol. The first night, I immediately ran over to Casa Mila to get a glimpse of the roof at sunset, since it was going to rain Saturday. It w</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">as very surreal to say the least lol. Afterwords, I went on the shopping hunt again in the&nbsp;<em style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Plaça de Catalunya</em>&nbsp;area, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">turning up nothing once more in terms of jackets. Oh well, I'll find one in the States. I wandered the Barri Gotic area for souvenirs, window shopping down all the twisty alleys before heading back to the hotel to recharge and figure out my Saturday plans. That evening, I had a nice, cheap meal at La Rita, a restaurant recommended by my dad, and then had a little paseo from the Ramblas all the way back to my hotel.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Saturday was one last gasp of sightseeing before my flight from one end of Barcelona to the other. First up, the&nbsp;</span><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Palau de la Música Catalana</span></em><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">&nbsp;and into its shop to look for trinkets that my parents recommended. Afterwords, I hopped a metro to the opposite side of town to see Camp Nou, the FC Barcelona stadium. Very impressive and informative, though I don't know if it was worth&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">€</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">23 to get in. At least I found a cool scarf lol. Next up, a metro to&nbsp;<em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Montjuïc</em>&nbsp;and back to the&nbsp;<em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya</em>&nbsp;after our failed attempt last time in town. The museum was very nice and I easily covered it in two hours, though most of it was in Catalan lol. Finally, one last stop at the&nbsp;<em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Museu</em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&nbsp;de la Xocolata</span>&nbsp;to grab a cup of chocolate (I missed out last time hehe) and to look for gifts. &nbsp;Man, that stuff made me almost as hyper as Sarah!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A stop at the hotel to re-sort my bags and figure out the bus to the airport for today and then I was off exploring the Eixample in search of one last good tapas dinner. The first place I chose was packed (a good sign), but there was some confusion between the host and bartender as to whether I was waiting for a table or getting food at the bar. After 20 minutes, I just left since I couldn't get anyone's attention. Continuing back towards my place, I found a new age style dinner place and had a nice meal instead; it's okay, I've had my fill of tapas so I wasn't too disappointed. I then went back to finish packing, watch Casino Royale, and pass out.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This morning, I quickly packed, grabbed the metro to&nbsp;<em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Plaça</em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&nbsp;d'</span><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Espanya</em>&nbsp;and took the Aerobus to the terminal. Now, I wasn't too happy to get “randomly” selected to be screened before boarding, but whatever. I always get picked...I think I'll have a chat with my friends at the TSA. Anywho, here I am now, ready to write my final post, which will be right after the break.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until then!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-83421059624823237382013-11-29T11:12:00.001-08:002013-11-29T11:12:20.891-08:00Tangier and 'evilla' (I thought you don't pronounce the 'S'?) <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wednesday started out with me getting up and playing on Facebook before my ferry to Tanger. By then, I had forgotten about the whole wind thing (a sign that my travel anxiety was pretty much gone). Well, 10 a.m. rolled around and I headed over to the FRS terminal to meet my tour guide and wear my little 'FRS' sticker (*shudders*). After taking the five minute stroll, I arrived at the terminal only to have the person at the gate and the ticket window SUGGEST that I get a refund due to weather. I've rarely had a company refund me for a tourist related ticket (FRS said the ticket was nonrefundable previously) so you can understand my shock. The wind had been pretty strong that morning, which probably meant it was hell out in the strait.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The ferry was there, so what was the deal? The problem was I could go out on the ferry and tour, but I might not make it back because they were canceling ferries likely later in the day when the winds picked up. Now, if I had a very open itinerary or several days to spend in Morocco like one of the girls back at the hostel, this posed no problem, as the morning ferry was still there. However, I had already spent more time in Tarifa than I cared to and I was really looking forward to Sevilla, so the idea of getting stuck in Tanger for a day (or more) didn't really appeal to my schedule.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After a quick runaround back and forth between the ticket office and terminal, I got my refund (in cash amazingly) and quickly made my way back to the hostel. The host told me that winds were only going to get worse over the next several days, so that made me feel better about my call. I speed walked to the bus station (about 5-10 minutes away) and had my Sevilla ticket changed to the next bus that day, which was in about an hour. Back to the hostel (I'm getting tired again just writing about all this back-and-forth lol), I added a day to my hostel in Sevilla and canceled Tarifa (no refund this late of course), got directions for the new hostel and went to my room to pack my bags.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Dutch guys were just heading out for kite surfing, so we said our goodbyes as I quickly packed up and left. If there's one thing I love about backpacking, even for a planner like myself, it's the ability to make a quick switch, pack up in 15 minutes and be gone to the next big thing...it's very exhilarating. Shuffling out the door, Gustavo let me know he'd be in Sevilla on the 5 p.m. Bus, so if we had a chance to meet, we'd hang out for tapas and touring. I walked casually to the bus station this time, as I had my backpack to lug. Man, thank God I downloaded a Bond movie the night before on my laptop (the one that features Gibraltar), so I had that ready to roll on the bus.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dropping my bags and plopping into a seat at the bus stop with a Coke, I took a breather just to take in all that had changed in all of about a half hour. Frankly, I was surprised I wasn't more upset and down on not going to Tanger (I know I can get that way sometimes). I thought about it and here's what I came up with to validate my decision (which I'm forever doing):</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><ul><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I trust peoples' advice first and my guidebooks second. In this case, both said the tour I had booked for Tanger sucked.</span></div></li><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Leo and countless others made the rest of Morocco (Casablanca, Marrakesh, etc...) sound so much more interesting, so I figure a trip to Morocco (or northern Africa) is warranted.</span></div></li><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“You can always come back”, a great Rick Steves mantra</span></div></li><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even if I went, my anxiety about the wind would just spoil it</span></div></li><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had already missed out on having a good guide</span></div></li><li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After the whole ER experience, I wasn't looking for another trip-jostling event</span></div></li></ul><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the end, I consider what I did smart, not just safe...I mean, I like to think I take some risks (i.e. solo travel), but in this case, there was the potential for several days of my trip lost (pretty much Sevilla gone) and a possible plane ticket in my future if the ferries were down through the weekend. Probably not the case, but still even a day would've been a bummer.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, that's enough of that. Another smooth bus ride and I arrived in beautiful Sevilla at 4 p.m., enjoying the warmth and sunlight while also starving. I ended up at a restaurant where my fumbled Spanish earned me not one, but two “raciones” (larger portions) plus the wine I had intended to order. I couldn't be rude, plus I was hungry, so I just ate both lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My new hostel was probably the nicest hostel I've ever stayed in...that's probably why they named it a 'boutique' hostel. I mean, it has a full dining room (with a host serving crepes and waffles in the morning!), a fitness center, really nice beds and everything brand-new. Keeping along my philosophy for the trip of small, non-party hostels (more on that in a future post), I found this one a little unusual. It had way more older people and families (with kids) that I'm used to, probably due to the large number of 2 person rooms. Most of the other people were quiet or nonexistent (it is middle of off-season). Rather than switch hostels (this one was ONLY €10/night!) I decided to stick with it and get out and tour to meet people. After all, I had the extra time now.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Out I went, going on an evening “paseo” (stroll) to see what Sevilla was all about. I wandered Plaza Nueva, around the cathedral, and into the winding Santa Cruz district, which I heard had an ample supply of gift shops. No gems, I admit, but I did poke around here and there. I'm going lighter on the souvenirs this time, since getting one thing from each city usually just earns me a bunch of junk lol. No finds in Santa Cruz (damn!) but maybe back in Barcelona before I leave. I went back to Plaza Nueva to shop the many stores in the area, as it was now evening and people were out and about. I was looking for a new coat (mine's getting a bit raggity) as well as a scarf, which I so desperately needed this whole trip but never found one warm enough (frankly, I didn't look that much lol). Why look in Europe? I had luck when I needed a jacket last time in Berlin, so I figured since European clothes are pretty stylish and seem to fit me well, why not? Turns out, I didn't have luck in Sevilla, but I added that to another of my Barcelona to-do items.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back at the hostel, I met Mane (Mah-nay) who led the tour to the flamenco show. We ended up only having five people total at the show, so it turned into our own personal little show. It was a lot of fun, though I wasn't always sure where to clap or “Ole!” lol. I also met Pieterjan (he says just call him “Peter-John” to make it easier) who was from Belgium. We went out after, along with Paula, the other guide, for tapas and then some drinks. Overall, it was probably as exciting as we could make Wednesday during off-season. I got back late, of course waking up everyone in my room (I hate being that guy), even though it was only 1:30 a.m.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thursday arrived and I must say, it was indeed a very different Thanksgiving :-) Throughout the night, I had played the noisy roommate in my hostel, banging the toilet shut (the thing was apparently really loose) and dropping my eBook off my bed while sleeping (oops). It happens. In the morning, I met my Taiwanese roomie over breakfast. I grabbed food before the guy could make me a waffle, but I figured I get one the next morning. She, along with my other roommate, were just leaving, so we only had a few quick words before we parted ways.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I made my way over to the cathedral at 11 a.m. to catch the tour that was being led by Mane. Pieterjan showed up, along two German girls, Jay (aka Jono) from Australia and Aleah from friggin' Oregon (Eugene to be exact). Together, we toured<span style="color: black;">the city (</span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Plaza </span></span></em><span style="color: black;">de </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">España</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">,</span>simply AMAZING by the way, don't know why the guidebook was down on it...it's also planet Naboo for all you Star Wars fans), ending up in a nice park two hours later. Me, Pieterjan, Jay and Aleah walked over to a tapas place for lunch that Mane recommended (the dates were awesome!) and then we headed to the cathedral to tour around the inside.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Afterwards, the four of us agreed to meet up at 8 p.m. to do our own tapas tour and bar crawl for dinner. Instead of going directly to the hostel for a siesta, I did a quick tour of the bullring, which was pretty cool. The tour itself wasn't much (and mostly in Spanish, which I luckily could follow), but it was worth getting a picture of the inside. By now, it was beginning to rain and I was beat, so I made my way back to the hostel, made my Thanksgiving phone call to the family and then passed out for a little bit.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before going out on our crawl, I began to reconsider staying another day in Sevilla. I really didn't have much left to do other than perhaps the Alcázar, and I already had been to Granada. Of course, I couldn't refund my Ryanair flight, but I was already not looking forward to getting up at 3-4 a.m. To be hassled by them for something I didn't pay for, plus it was only €44 (€10 of which was the actual fare). I also had two train tickets on my pass still after the ER thing, and I love trains.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I made the switch to go to Barcelona a day early in hopes of some sun, the second such change in the last few days. I must say, I was getting pretty good and this switcheroo thing. I booked a new hotel (not hostel for my last leg) in Barcelona, got the train ticket and printed it, canceled my Sevilla hostel and got directions in Barcelona. The unfortunate side-affect was that my previous hotel in Barcelona was nonrefundable (I chose one closer to downtown than the airport, as it had better transit options), but I figure I can fight that by refusing payment.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With all that settled, I was late for our tapas tour. Luckily, Aleah and Jay had gotten a hold of me on Facebook a half hour earlier, and we had all agreed to meet for the 8:30 p.m. tapas tour put on by Mane's group. I realized that Pieterjan hadn't chimed in, and asked the other two to see if they could find them in their hostel or at our previous meeting spot by the cathedral. Unfortunately, I arrived at the tour meeting spot and Pieterjan wasn't there (so sorry man!), so Mane and I went looking for him with no luck. By then, it was 30 minutes after we were supposed to meet for our original tour. No hard feelings, I hope.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our group consisted of me, Jay, Aleah, the German girls and a group on others from the other hostels. We toured three tapas places, getting lots of different tapas to try courtesy of Eddie, our host, along with a ton of sangria. A very nice Thanksgiving indeed. I was beginning to wonder if changing to Barcelona was a good idea, as I might not be back too early. Fortunately, I was able to cut out between the end of the tapas tour and beginning of the pub tour (I guess Eddie had a fight with another host and left us hanging, so we were all confused). The remaining group was going to try and find a disco-tech, but I decided to be lame and turn around ta 1 a.m. to get a little sleep before my morning train. I know, I should've stayed out, but I think that whole ER thing still has a me a little subdued, not to mention that I tend to only party here and there.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Asleep at 1 a.m. after meeting my Brazilian roomies brings me up to being on the train to Barcelona this morning. Aaaaaaaand...we're like an hour and a half away! More updates from Barcelona, including a little summary of likes/dislikes, etc will be coming your way in the next couple of days.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I leave you be while I try again for Casa Mila and perhaps the </span><span style="color: black;">Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya</span><span style="color: black;">, along with some last-minute shopping.</span> I loved Barcelona, and I'm looking forward to spending a bit more time there. And of course, I come home in a few days! This has been an interesting trip, but I'm reaching the point where I'm ready to take a vacation from vacation and come home and relax for a bit.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With that, I bid you “adeu” (in the Catalan style of Barcelona).</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">P.S. &nbsp;The joke in the title comes from the fact that Sevillians choose not to pronounce the 's' in words (saying "gracia" instead of "gracias" for thank you), so it's just my tip of the hat to them :-)</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-76710358097648641612013-11-29T10:52:00.000-08:002013-11-29T10:52:11.428-08:00A Surfer Spot and a Piece of England <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hey there, readers! Guess what? Another long train (this time 5 hours) means more time that I can spend hanging out with you, yay!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last you heard (unless you've been watching Facebook), I just coming into Tarifa via bus. That morning was the usual quick pack-and-go with me shipping out of the hostel around 7 a.m. and catching the city bus to the main bus station. MAN, that thing was packed early in the morning! Doesn't help that I have a nice 30 pound weight swinging around my back lol. Getting to the bus station, I grabbed a quick breakfast (my staple has now become an OJ and croissant), deciphered the bus schedule and boarded around 10 a.m.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I must say, Alsa knows how to treat their customers. The “Supra” bus I was on was more like a first-class bus, better than any train or plane I've been on so far. It had WiFi, individual TVs and even a goodie bag with snacks! Now, the Moroccan lady next to me insisted that “ventana” doesn't mean window, so I didn't get my seat, but whatever. I was perfectly content watching <i>Slumdog Millionaire</i>while cruising towards the Mediterranean coast. After a pit stop in Malaga (and a dash to the bathroom by yours truly to make sure I didn't get left behind), the second driver forgot to turn the TVs back on, which was a bit of a bummer, but I chose to read and stare at the coast. This was my first view of the Mediterranean and I must say it's absolutely beautiful, especially with the rolling hills in southern Spain.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Getting to Algeciras, I had to figure out how to transfer to the regional Comes bus to Tarifa. Before I knew it, I walked to the bus next to ours, threw my bag underneath and paid my 1-2 Euros. MAN, talk about a quick transfer lol. Forty-five minutes later and I was in Tarifa. Overall, I've been very impressed by the Spanish bus system. I had my doubts about getting around the second half of my trip that way, but I gotta admit, the buses are very nice and clean and there's always a spot (at least during off-season). The ones to/from Algeciras and Tarifa are basically nice charter buses that work like a city bus, where you pay on board or swipe a card. Other ones require you to purchase a ticket at the counter. Either way, I was very happy indeed.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ah Tarifa, a town I would deem “The Pismo Beach of Spain” for all you Cal Poly peeps out there. It's got the total relaxed surfer town thing going for it, which makes sense. This town, which also happens to be the southern-most town in continental Europe, hosts an onslaught of international tourists during the busy season for surfing and especially kite surfing. The beach is also very pristine, getting much less attention than the rest of the overdeveloped southern coast of Spain. Of course, when it's winter, the place is a bit of a ghost town. Even so, after Granada, it was my second easy-going vacation spot, so no complaints, other than it tended to get a tad quiet in the evenings.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I found my hostel, which happens to be right by the coast and the ferry to Tanger. The place was deserted, as most hostels are during the day and especially during the weekdays in off-season. I seemed to have 3 other roomies at least, so that was a good sign. Out in Tarifa, I walked along the southern coast where you can literally SEE the coast of Africa. So cool! I also cruised around the terminal and to the beach where I finally enjoyed a little sun in the warmer weather (I define warm as not needing two coats lol).</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Other than that, wandering the town proved there wasn't much else left to do. I went back to the hostel and lounged on the rooftop terrace, watching the sunset and the ships going in and out of the straits while I read. I also began planning both of my daytrips, Gibraltar and Tanger, which I'd be doing over the next two days. A little blogging and then I was off to find dinner. Tarifa, being an internationally recognized surf/wind spot, has a matching set of international eateries. That allowed me to take a brief repose from tapas and eat some sushi! I was very satisfied, even if the rolls were small, as all the fish was very fresh.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Touring the bar area, I didn't find too many people (including Gustavo and Adam, whom I met briefly at the hostel in the evening), so back to the hostel to blog, write, make phone calls and call it early. It's amazing, I've actually been getting a decent amount of sleep on this trip. Maybe I'm doing this wrong (aka I should be partying until 5 a.m. Everyday), but honestly, I'm not going to complain when I'm awake during the day and can remember the amazing sites that I've seen.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Speaking of amazing sites, I woke up early the next morning to head off to Gibraltar. That was by far one of my favorite sites so far on this trip. The main trick with Gibraltar turned out to be getting the buses right. In order to get there from Tarifa, I had to take two buses from Tarifa to Algeciras and finally to <span style="color: black;">La Línea de la Concepción</span>. That's the Spanish town right on the border (Spaniards still are a little sore about Gibraltar, so they don't like to mention it). The buses were okay as usual, through the La <span style="color: black;">Línea</span>bus made a TON of local stops; next time, I would remember to grab a “directo” bus. The border itself? Sheesh. You literally walk through a terminal and flash your passport! I was hoping for at least a stamp to add to my collection lol. Once you're in, it's either another bus ride or a 30 minute walk. With the daytrip I had planned, I chose the bus. When backpacking and walking everywhere, you need to pick your battles wisely lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Landing at Casemates Square, I tried feeding not one but two map machines Euros and got snubbed! It happens...at least I didn't pay one pound instead, since that would be a worse exchange rate (Gibraltar accepts both, though usually Euros are accepted with a 30% markup). I wandered main street towards the cable car, grabbing some British pounds and checking out all the shops along the way. I guess there's a cheap duty on certain goods in Gibraltar, since all I saw was cigarettes, electronics and watches in every shop. The first cigarette stop after the border was absolutely MOBBED with people. Anywho, without a map, I used the cable car wires as a guide through town (which isn't very big) and finally found the spot where I paid and rode to the top of “The Rock”.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For my little adventure, I chose the cheaper option of riding to the top and hiking (walking down the streets) back to the bottom. I decided to pay for the five or so attractions along the way as well, since it seemed worth seeing at least a few of them. Arriving at the top, I grabbed a coffee from the little shop and took a TON of pictures. I then began hiking down to visit the sites, first heading for St. Michael's Cave. Along the way, I ran into monkeys everywhere...I mean, they literally took over the street to the point of me having to scoot around them. It was fun to watch them play and inundate the taxi tours that drove by. One even jumped on a lady's shoulders with help from a guide lol. The apes were by far the best attraction as you were able to get close up (just don't try to feed them or show them any plastic bags).</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Everything else along the way down? I'd say if you want to spend a little time, check out St. Michael's Cave and maybe the Siege Tunnels if you're a history/military buff. The other big sites (Ape's Den, City Under Siege exhibit and Moorish palace) were all totally not worth it. The monkeys you get to see just by walking along the top; there weren't really any by the Ape's den, which is also where you stop if you take the cable car back down. Of course, navigating down the tiny, twisty roads was an experience in itself. Add in the people driving super fast and the loads of taxis and tour buses careening around the corners, and you have yourself a grand old time hiking down haha. </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back at the bottom, I wandered back through main street, a little slower this time to look for any souvenirs. Of course, the American dollar is TERRIBLE vs. the British pound (like 2 to 1), so any “deals” I saw in those shops didn't look so good to me. Of course I had to stop for some fish 'n' chips as well! Now, I was a little mystified why I got cold beer, but that's okay I'll take it. I sound like an anti-ugly American lol. Afterwards, my feet were feeling pretty good, so I took the walking tour back to the border, admiring the runway that you literally walk/drive across to get there. Too bad no planes were flying in that day, that would've been so cool!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finding my bus, I made it to Algeciras with no problems only to find that this time there wasn't just a bus waiting for me to Tarifa. I had become spoiled lol. Instead, I had like an hour and half wait (!) between Tarifa buses. It's kind of strange, since they run regularly, but the schedule has these random gaps (and I happened to find one lol). In the time I had, I decided to hang and finish my current book since Algeciras isn't really much more than an industrial port. When I did finally make it back to Tarifa, I checked out the San Mateo church briefly, the one major site I missed, and then proceeded back to the hostel, where I happened to run into Gustavo, Adam, and three vegetarian girls (named such because I forgot names) who were from Utah, Vancouver B.C. and Australia.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We all began to talk about Morocco and heading over there, since the 35 minute ferry is the main reason people come to Tarifa. It's the only direct ferry to the main town port in Tanger (the Algeciras one takes you to a port about 30 minutes away from the Tanger town center). This whole trip, I've been hearing how awesome Morocco is (from Leo and others), so I was looking forward to my little daytrip the following day. Unfortunately, my personal guide has been a bit flakey since finding him...or may it's just the Moroccan way. Either way, I hadn't heard anything from him since booking back in the States, so I emailed him again and in the meantime I booked one of the cookie cutter tours the ferry company puts on. Anxiety got the best of me for a moment lol. The guide, Aziz, actually did get back to me saying we were still on, but then a follow-up saying we could meet once I figure out how to get out of the tour yielded nothing. I'm guessing either he thought I was blowing him off or he was just being Aziz.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Either way, over dinner I heard more from Adam and others how great going deeper into Morocco is and how the tours are so awful (which Rick Steves agrees with, though 90% of people traveling there do them). The problem is that the tours are made in such away that you're thrown into high-pressure buying situations with crappy souvenirs. You get guides in Tanger mainly to 1) keep the hawkers away and 2) to see the sights lol. But the tour companies get a cut from the vendors they walk you buy, which is why the tour with ferry is actually cheaper than a roundtrip ferry ticket. Such a scam. By this point, I was feeling a little down and out about buying a ticket (which was also non-refundable), but I kept telling myself I just want to see a quick glimpse of Morocco and Muslim culture, no matter how bad the tour is. I mean, you can't glitz over all that, right?</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Out I went for dinner, grabbing a salad to try and balance out all this bread and meat in the Spanish diet. I came back to hang with the hostel cat, who took over my keyboard as cats do, while I researched and read a little bit. At this point, my Dutch roomies (who I met the night before) were back from their kite surfing lessons, so we talked with Adam about random travels. At this point, Adam told me that with how windy it was today, the ferries might cancel during my daytrip. Oh no! Well, all you can do is wait and see, right? The girls whom I met earlier weren't worried, since they were all going to Morocco for days or weeks. Then you have me, who's on a tight schedule and only has a day here and there.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the end, I decided to just sleep on it (Tarifa was still dead) and see what the next day brought. Stay tuned for word on Tanger and Sevilla...I'm going on a reading break :-)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">¡Hasta Luego!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-936453747475747072013-11-25T14:10:00.000-08:002013-11-25T14:11:55.442-08:00Oh Granada...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Passed the one week mark already!? My goodness. Better get started on this blog of my favorite city so far, Granada!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> As you saw by the 3 blogs I churned out in one day, I had a boring 4 hour train ride down to Granada. Lots of reading, blogging and staring lol. I arrived to construction at the train station and no signs for the bus I needed; nice. Luckily, me and another backpacker started wandering and found the stations and it was all good. Freddie, who runs my hostel, was EXTREMELY nice (as most hostel hosts are), showing me on the map all the best spots to sightsee and eat tapas. The place only held 20 people, and there's just one 6-person backpacker room; the rest are for couples. That's a bit of a switch, but a mellow hostel is cool with me; after the ER scare, I'm not planning on partying all night anytime soon.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Speaking of tapas, I took Freddie's suggestion and had lunch consisting of a beer and free tapa (they're big on that in Granada AND you can choose). The best part, I did the whole thing in Spanish; I was very proud, especially in a local lunch place by the university.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Afterwards, out I went with the afternoon ahead of me. I explored the outside of the cathedral and grabbed my Alhambra ticket. Following the river, I wandered up the hills of the Albayzín stopping at all the view points on the map. That included San Miguel, which is way the heck up there, but has the best view of the city. I may have wandered into some of the gypsy caves instead of the main tourist path, but it was all good. The view was simply stunning.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Back I strolled to the hostel, sitting down to post all those blogs, noticing that everyone around me was a couple. Usually, couple travelers keep to themselves, and it seemed to hold true here too. Fortunately, Kate and Catherine? (sorry, so many names in traveling) came in. They're study-abroad students from Madrid; Kate is originally from Minneapolis while Catherine is from...wait for it...Grosse Pointe! You have got to be kidding me, how many Michigan people am I going to meet in Spain? Amazing. We gabbed about GP for a while, then after getting ready I went with them and Kiko, one of our hosts, to grab dinner and then possibly make it to the Arab Baths.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Unfortunately, the baths didn't have any appointments (and I totally brought my swimsuit!) so Kiko and I split off from the girls after dinner, heading back towards the town center. I asked Kiko to recommend another tapas place (since I only had one with my drink), so he showed me and then headed to the hostel.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Getting back, stuff got done for once. I mean, this whole trip, I've felt I'm just steamrolling over all my plans and setting things up, which is fine, but it's a bit seam-of-the-pants. Granada is the first city where I've been able to relax, even though I lost a day there. I made phone calls, called the insurance about the whole ER thing, read up on buses and messed a lot with Facebook. Taking an easy night and thinking I'd see the college drinking seen the next day, I went to bed a little early.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Turns out, in addition to the two girls, our room was pretty much full, including Tom, who was biking from England to Morocco. He was hanging out with Natalie from Canada, who was in a separate room. Then there was also another Polish girl, who's name I cannot remember (sorry!)...MAN, she was a talker, but it's always good to meet a fellow Pole.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anywho, the next morning I got up at 9 a.m. to plan and was out after a quick breakfast at 10 a.m. for the Alhambra. I walked up the other giant hill in Grenada and entered the Moorish palace through the shortcut Justice Gate, since I already had my ticket. Even though my time for the visit was 11:00 a.m., you're allowed to visit all the other sites before 2 p.m., which is cool.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> As for the Alhambra itself...just WOW. This is simply THE site to see in Spain and has made Granada my #1 city so far. First up, I wandered the Alcazaba and Charles V Palace before waiting for my time to enter the Palacios Nazaries. And man, once I got in there...just SO many pictures lol. Major picture overload on Facebook, I know. The tile work is simply amazing; it's like Park Guell all over again, only on a much larger scale. Luckily, the mob was held off by the fact that it was morning, it was cold and it was off-season, of which I was thankful. The entire site, despite the knots of people, was very serene and peaceful, with birds chirping all over.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> After the main palace, I hit the Generalife Gardens, which I personally thought were just as worth it simply for the colorful photos. That and the AMAZING views. I guess that crisp 0...err 32 degree weather made for good photos, huh? Finally, I wandered back out after 3 hours, a long time at one site for me. I will remember that place forever, that and now I have several GBs of pics to remind me lol.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Back in town, I watched a band of women drummers perform before heading down to find lunch. I went to a tapas place that looked good the previous day, ordering the plato del dia (plate of the day). I was hoping for a raciones size item rather than a tapa, which is what I figured I was getting based on the other menu items (and the price). Instead, I got some chicken and egg soup, which was good don't get me wrong, but not worth €8. I actually waited much longer than normal to ask for the check because I thought I had another course coming...oops. Next time, I'll either ask what the plato del dia is for the day or just order something else. Instead of asking for more, I got a free tapa with a drink at another restaurant haha. I can see where this can get you in trouble.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Back at the hostel, I met Rob, who was originally from Kalamazoo (What the heck is with all the MI people?) and now lives in SF. I only stayed around for a little bit before heading over to look for shopping. I first went to Alcaiceria to wander and shop for souvenirs. Evidently, everything is as cheap as my guide book says, so no winning trinkets there. I don't know, after forcing myself to buy something from each city I visited last time and ending up with crap, this time I am only going for things that are of value to me. Needless to say, I didn't find much.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Elsewhere, everything was shut down for Sunday, so I couldn't get any of the items I needed, like a thick scarf and gloves lol. It's cold here! Instead, I came back to the hostel and fixed photos, played with my computer a bit, chatted with folks and relaxed. I must say, for the first time all trip, I finally was feeling relaxed. It usually takes me a week to fight through all the travel anxiety, based on my last Eurotrip. So yea, just a nice quiet couple of hours. That, and it was just cold lol</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Natalie invited me, Tom and Rob out for flamenco, and since my second attempt to book the Arab baths failed, we went out that night for dinner and the show. We split tapas and a bottle of wine downtown and then hit up a little flamenco place next to the river that our hostel recommended. The dance area was literally in a basement bunker-style area, like a little cave. It made the experience feel much more authentic than those massive tourist operations. We clapped and shouted along while drinking sangria; overall, I felt very Spanish haha.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> When all was said and done, we braved the cold once more to head to the hostel. Tom and me were the only ones left in our room, so we crashed early.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Now, I'm in Tarifa after a whole day of buses. More on that, along with Gibraltar and Tangier, to come!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> ¡Buenas noches!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> - Mateo</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /> <next day=""></next>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-32800765132799554912013-11-23T10:19:00.003-08:002013-11-23T10:19:39.425-08:00Back on My Feet and Up the Hills of Toledo <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Third post of the day, here we go! I think we're almost to Granada now lol. Okay, so Friday came and I felt much better, so I woke Leo at 10 a.m. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">w</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">hen I wobbled out of bed. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">W</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">e were cleaned up and headed out for the Metro to the bus station by 11:00 a.m. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">s we planned. I figured since Toledo was only a 45-min</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ute</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">bus ride away and I was feeling better, it was “kind of” like staying put in Madrid.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By the way, although the train is faster (only 15 minutes), at €5 and less crowding, the buses are the way to go. This was also a good intro for me on the buses in Spain, as I'll be using them a lot in the next few days. Anywho, we arrived at 12:30 p.m., grabbed a map and walked up into the city center. EVERYWHERE you look, tourists and buses, my God! I guess Rick Steves wasn't kidding when he said that Toledo is mobbed with tourists during the day and more fun at night. Well, I only had a day now, plus the cold weather kept the city still fairly quiet.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sarah had reached Toledo the night before, but unfortunately the lack of free Wi-Fi made it too hard to meet. Have fun in Sevilla Sarah, I'm sorry we missed each other, you were such a great buddy to have on this trip! Leo and I wandered from one side of Toledo to the other (not hard to do), stopping at the Cathedral, one of the synagogues and several other sites along the way. We made a point of checking out the jewelry shops, which are known for their thread-woven silver and gold that is pounded into earrings and necklaces by hand. So many cool pieces, especially from the one shop owner who barely spoke English and whom we debated various pieces and styles with; always a treat to hang with a local!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we headed back, I realized that my minor aches and tinges were not really going down. That, along with the fever overnight made me suspect a possible minor infection still from the previous day. Now, I didn't want to go back to ER just to get meds (which the doc said I could do) and everybody was wondering why they didn't just given them to me, so I took matters into my own hands. I walked into a pharmacy in Toledo<span style="color: black;">and explained as best I could with my ER papers that I might have an infection and needed some “</span><span style="color: black;">antibióticos”</span>. Luckily, the pharmacist had Amoxicillin and was willing to give me an 8-day supply for €2.50 so I jumped at it. Better safe than sorry, right?</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We skipped the Santa Cruz and Military Museum, which I originally wanted to see, but oh well. I'll be back. We took the 6:30 p.m. bus back to Madrid, Leo nodding off from being dead tired. After getting back to Madrid, I grabbed my bags from the hostel and headed to my hotel.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I admit, the hotel was a nice mid-trip treat, even for such a short time. It makes me wonder how long I'll be doing the noise/discomfort of the hostels, but we'll see. I repacked all my bags, called the parents to check in, planned the trip to Granada and settled a bunch of my itinerary snafus. After 10 p.m., Leo and I met up to head to<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">the </span><span style="color: black;">Mercado de </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">San Miguel</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">o</span>nce more (honestly, it's the best price and the only busy place) to grab more tapas. Feeling great, I decided to toss my eating restrictions and try a variety of tapas I hadn't had yet, including more sangria from me and Sarah's guy; the stuff's great, man! He even added some extra port for my €1 tip (the first I've given) lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I parted ways with Leo where we met, wishing him well. Maybe we'll see each other in Morocco, man! I lounged at the hotel, working on pictures and emails before crashing for my morning train.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Which brings me to now...whew! That said, my 48 hours were up this morning and I'm feeling pretty good, just some minor aches and a little sleepy, so in 20 minutes I'll be in beautiful Granada! Check back in soon, with the smaller towns, I might have more time to catch up and write. Until then, hasta luego!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo &nbsp;</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-68672145966930401572013-11-23T10:08:00.002-08:002013-11-23T10:08:06.717-08:00¡Emergencia! <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before I start this next blog, I just want everyone to know that I'm feeling much better and that I'm continuing my journey today to Granada (albeit a day late) since my 48 hour waiting period has expired. With that said, let's get started...</span></b></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thursday morning, I woke up at 6 a.m. with some of the most intense pain I've ever had. I mean, it was enough to wake me up (and then keep me awake as I tossed and turned for the next 2 hours). The pain radiated from my lower abdomen, so I knew it wasn't a stomach-related thing like food poisoning. It also didn't seem like just gas. Then, I started to notice that my lower-right side hurt the most as the pain intensified, leading me to believe it might be appendicitis. Oh crap! Traveling alone is one thing, but having a serious medical issue while abroad? Talk about anxiety.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At 8 a.m. I stumbled out of bed, which was when I was supposed to get ready for the train to Toledo with Sarah. Instead, I plowed through the hall looking for the boy Marco who works the night shift. He speaks no English and his Spanish is a little rough, so I didn't have much luck explaining that I needed to go to the hospital. Thank God Luciano walked in for the morning shift! I immediately talked to him (apparently he used to be a medic in the military) and he agreed that I should go to the hospital. André was also super concerned and offered to skip his trip to Ávila to escort me down to the hospital. Sarah also chimed in, altering her train plans to come over to help. I must say, I am so thankful to Luciano, André, Sarah and the entire hostel community. It's a great bunch of people and they are so helpful. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you.</span><br /><br /> <div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Without waiting, André and I hopped into a cab before Sarah could get there and sped off to the hospital. As we wove through traffic, the pain increased and I was bent over crying while André patted me on the back. Finally, we made it to the hospital, which Luciano mentioned was good for English-speakers, so we ran around the building before finally finding the ER and checked in. Rapid-firing some Spanish, André quickly got me checked in with my medical insurance and into the diagnosing doctor. I'm so thankful he could translate, it made things that much more bearable, even if they did know a little English.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Struggling into the doctor's office, I explained my condition with the help of André and she proceeded to ask a detailed set of questions to diagnose me. Funny thing was, sitting on the examining table made me feel better. Luckily, the doc said the fact that I was doubled over in pain (at this point my hands went numb from pain) was a sign that it wasn't my appendix, since I wouldn't be able to lean over like I did. At this point, a nurse rushed in asking if I had an 'hermana' (sister) who was looking for me. After being confused for a moment, I smiled probably for the first time that day, explaining that my friend Sarah was looking for me. Evidently she was tearing through the floors trying to hunt me down. God bless you, Sarah.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some more waiting and going through an endless array of rooms with tons of doctors (or maybe residents, it was a university hospital...) and I had an x-ray, blood test and urine test done. Not too shabby, I'm glad to see that national healthcare works well at least in some countries (U.S., you need to really kick it into gear). I also had to sit in a room full of people 30+ years older than me and receive a IV drip of pain meds to help me; that was a little bit awkward lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, André and Sarah hung in the waiting room chatting about anything and everything. I joined in after an hour or so, waiting for the blood test results, which took two hours. Evidently, Sarah was eyeing a particularly attractive intern walking around while André had his eye on my diagnostic doctor. I laughed and told him that he was really missing out, since the back rooms were full of 20-something year old female interns. We joked and laughed (apparently my meds worked) and talked way too loudly for the waiting room, but it was a good time.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally, I was given the results in the early afternoon. The doctor said I most likely had a kidney stone, which Sarah agreed with. I've never had one, but I guess that's what I get for not drinking enough water and eating bad foods including too much sugar. The less likely issue was some minor infection, which showed as a single elevated level in my blood. However, since that could also be from the pain earlier, she told me to get the European equivalent to Tylenol, eat light and monitor myself in Madrid in 48 hours. I was a little down on that, but I said okay and we went our way.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We almost walked out of there without paying, but going back, they gave me the forms and numbers I needed to get my insurance to pay (which I still need to do haha) and we headed outta there without paying a cent, at least for now. We'll see what Anthem Blue Cross has to say about international emergencies :-)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Afterwords, I was still in some minor pain (the meds began to wear off), but now we were all starved more than anything. <span style="color: black;">We found our way over to a nice sit-down place to order </span><span style="color: black;">m</span><span style="color: black;">enú del </span><span style="color: black;">d</span><span style="color: black;">ía</span><span style="color: black;">(menu of the day, BEST deal for lunch in Spain).</span> André had mine modified to rice/chicken while he got the typical: 2 plates, a dessert, a drink and a coffee. Gotta love it for €10! Sarah grabbed herself a slice of cake but...oh man, our waiter. This guy was as tall as they come and he mumbled his Spanish so much that even André had a hard time understanding. We all just figured he might be drunk. He gave Sarah a hard time for our money though haha. He kept rearranging her silverware every time she moved something (she's as OCD as me) which we all laughed at. Oh, and after her first slice of cake, he said something that I told Sarah sounded like “second piece of cake” that she had said yes to and wouldn't you know it? She got more cake! I couldn't help, so André had to chime in and take a cut, since the guy would not let Sarah get rid of it no matter how politely she asked. In the end, we had a great experience and we underpaid, so all-in-all a good meal.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back at the hostel, Luciano thankfully booked me one more night (though the next night I'd need to find a place), so I went into my room to settle things out. I told Sarah to head to Toledo and I might see her the next day on a trip if I was feeling well. André would monitor me overnight and then head to Barcelona. I shuffled all my hostels and trains to fix my itinerary, even grabbing a hotel for Friday night just for a change of pace. I called my parents and Sandy just to clue everybody in...well like I said, the insurance company still doesn't know, but soon lol. </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">André and I settled for a nap, and soon after Leo, our new roomie, arrived. At this point, I was feeling more pain, but it was more of a food poisoning-type of pain. Leo turned out to be another great guy, offering to take care of me when André left if anything came up. He was from New York, and he was an encyclopedia of travel and money-saving knowledge. It was amazing!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Together, we hit<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">Mercado de </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">San Miguel</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">again since every other place was still dead in Latina and had a good time grabbing tapas. I settled for crackers and water </span>while Leo and André had their fill. We even met a nice couple from Virginia at one of the bars and shared stories over tapas. With Leo egging first me and then the couple on, we even got characters of ourselves drawn lol. Hopefully that paper survives the rest of the trip.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With André and Leo staying out to try and find a party, I took myself back to the hostel to rest up. I had been in the ER all day and running on 2 hours of sleep, so I really needed to get to bed. I washed up, watched a TV show on my laptop and passed out at midnight, sleeping for 10 hours. I did have a fever scare around 3 a.m. right after Leo and André got back, but a wet towel on my forehead (thanks Leo) and taking off all the major blankets solved that.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By morning, I was feeling well enough (only slight pain and no fever) to daytrip with Leo to Toledo, which is up next...</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-44472583441771273282013-11-23T09:39:00.001-08:002013-11-23T09:40:40.584-08:00Madrid: A city of twists and turns<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well hey there, blog readers! I've been leaving you in the dark for a couple days, that'll happen on a trip like this. I'm on a 4 hour train to Granada from Madrid this morning (finally...more later), so I have some time to sit down and compile all the happenings from Madrid over the past several days.</span><br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now where did we leave off? Oh yea, last you heard, I was inbound to Madrid on a 8:30 a.m. train...man, that was a long day. I guess the choice to party til 2-3 a.m. was not the smartest idea lol, but whatever, it happens when doing the hostel thing. So yea, Umayr and I parted ways and I arrived in Madrid around 11 a.m., lugging my backpack through the busy Metro and street of Gran Vía to my hostel. This time, my place was up on the seventh floor of a high rise, with a layout that reminded me of Ars Hostel back in Krakow. No common room again, but maybe that's what I get for going with these smaller hostels. The place also seemed deserted, which was a bit eerie. Anywho, Luciano, the host, was nice enough to give me directions and take my bags since I couldn't check in. So off I went with a few hours sleep!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First up, Puerta del Sol, which I got seriously lost finding following the diagonal streets of Madrid. Amazing, being the navigator that I am and since this plaza is the center of Madrid. Well I made it, finding a giant golden Christmas tree, a few walking cartoon characters (Mickey Mouse, Bart Simpson, Papa Smurf, etc...) and a pile of tourists. Ok, next stop: Plaza Mayor. Just down the street, I easily found the square plaza with identical buildings on all sides. Again, not much to see other than some guys trying to sell tiny helicopters like those I saw in Paris and a whole mess of elementary school kids on a field trip.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Actually, I ended up following the same group of kids by accident to my next stop, the Royal Palace. It was an absolutely beautiful site, though it's too bad that they actually enforce the no photos rule (even without a flash). The armory was my favorite, with tons of suits of armor for men as well as horses, not to mention all the different swords and other weapons. The royal chambers were beautiful of course, full of all sorts of colors and fabrics.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A short lunch, then over to the biggest Spanish flag in Madrid (courtesy of Nikki's friend Javier) over in <span style="color: black;">Plaza de Colón</span>and on to the Prado for the free time after 4:00 p.m. I got there at 3:30 p.m. To find that it was the anniversary of the Prado, so the whole day had been free admission! That's okay, 2 ½ hours was more than enough time for me in the museum, sleepy as I was, but still it was very impressive. I especially loved to watch the people painting the reproductions next to famous paintings.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back to the hostel in the early evening, and only 6 people total in the hostel! That's what off-season and weekdays bring to the hostel world. There was only one person in my 4 bed room, but he wasn't back yet (turns out he was in Toledo for the day), so I just relaxed for a bit, making some calls back home. And wouldn't you know it? Sarah showed up!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, so Sarah was supposed to come with me in the morning on the train to Madrid. However, when she didn't show up in the hostel lobby at 6:30 a.m., we left without her. Turns out, after being out for the same rough night (including banging her head on the ground and maybe getting a concussion), she awoke at 5:00 a.m. to her roommate Matt (there were 3-5 Matt's in the hostel, I forget) telling her that their other roommate Sam, a Brit who just came that day, had peed all over the floor, wall AND out of the window. Out the window, really? That must've taken some skill in that Barcelona hostel. Either way, they had to get up and move their stuff into one of the other rooms and alert the hostel (apparently the maid got seriously pissed; I wouldn't blame her). After the whole fiasco, Sarah went back to sleep and missed our train, then spent the morning in the hostel with Iva just trying to get her bearings. In the end, she got on a later train for Madrid and met me that night at my hostel. Yay!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We ventured out on the chilly streets of Madrid, wandering around talking about everything possible, getting lost and having endless people<span style="color: black;">offer us tickets to shows and free drink cards. For dinner, we ended up at the </span><span style="color: black;">Mercado de </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">San Miguel</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">, which came recommended by my dad and the hostel. It was awesome, just the tapas </span><span style="color: black;">experience</span><span style="color: black;">I was lookin</span>g for! The place was packed with people scrambling for bite-size meals at every counter, often only costing €1 each. We had our fill, including some sangria from a nice guy who let us even take a picture of us pouring it! It might've been a little more, but his unique mix (so he says) tastes much better, definitely stronger than the sugary versions I had in Barcelona.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We walked and talked a bit more, finishing up at a bakery to round out the night. We parted, planning to meet the next day for sightseeing. Back at the hostel, nobody was still around, so I cleaned up and went to bed. André, my Brazilian roomie, ended up waking me up at 2:00 a.m., but other than that I just passed out.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I blinked awake at 10:00 a.m., realizing I missed my alarm to call Sandy (so sorry!) and meet up with Sarah. Rushing through a quick hostel breakfast, I reached Sarah and we met at Puerta del Sol to start our tour. First up, Parque del Retiro to stroll through the palaces and to see the various statues in this huge park. We then ended up wandering all over the neighborhoods looking for food, ending up first at Dunkin' Coffee (not donuts, guess that's not a European word) for my coffee and later at Wok to Walk for a quick lunch of noodles.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">At this point, we split up, Sarah heading to the Prado while I toured the Reina </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Sofía</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">for a couple hours.</span> I have to say, while the Prado is the pride of the Madrid art museums, this one was my favorite, and not just because I could take pictures. Modern is more my style and that's what the Reina <em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Sofía</span></span></em>has. The building is HUGE; its four floors used to be an old hospital. Picasso's <i>Guernica </i>is amazing; I'm just sad I couldn't take a picture.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back to Starbucks, Sarah and I met up and went on to tour the outside of the palace, the surrounding gardens and we walked to the bridge spanning the nearby river. Finally, <span style="color: black;">we ended up at </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Príncipe Pío</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">, an</span>old train station turned shopping mall. We decided to call it and head back for dinner, so we grabbed the Metro and went to our hostels. There was STILL nobody home at mine; I had no idea where André was, so Sarah and I met up for tapas, combing La Latina district, which I had heard had pretty good tapas. Sad to say, but on cold weekdays during off-season, most of the restaurants were closed or empty. We ended up at an Indian restaurant across from Sarah's hostel which looked good. This whole time, we talked about the anxiety of solo travel. Evidently, Sarah's hostel was also empty. The loneliness is just something that you have to learn to deal with on a long a trip; I wish I was a little better at it, but it takes practice.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this point, I also decided to take an earlier train to Toledo along with Sarah, since I was done with Madrid. I truly feel like Barcelona is more interesting. There's nothing wrong with Madrid; it's a nice, clean city with several great attractions and neighborhoods. I'd just say that if you have to choose between spending 2-3 days here vs. 2-3 in Barcelona, Barcelona deserves 3 while Madrid deserves 2. I changed my train ticket (thank God for my Renfe Spain Pass) while chatting with André once I got back to the hostel. As usual, it got way too late and I ran out of time to do anything else (like write hehe) so I decided to just go to sleep.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Little did I know what would happen the next day...</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">- Mateo</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-28322325926212975562013-11-20T16:35:00.001-08:002013-11-23T09:40:55.625-08:00This time, we got Barcelona beat!<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Man, what a difference one day can make. After the dip in sightseeing Sunday, Monday was quite the whirlwind, full of Gaudi, taxi rides and laughs.</span><br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Determined to start off on the different foot, Umayr, Iva, Sarah and I dragged ourselves out of bed to hit the Sagrada Familia at 10 a.m. (with tickets this time, mind you). All I can say is...wow. You know, it might take until 2026 to finish the church, but already you can see how amazing it is on the inside. It's really weird to think of the church as “new” in terms of European churches (just go to any other town and check out their cathedral). I mean, sure it's over 100 years old now, but as Umayr said, it will still look new in 100 years. That said, Gaudi's made quite the masterpiece (which Spain is trying to finish), but I was surprised at how simple and elegant the inside was compared to the detailed exterior. It was interesting to read about how nature weaves into Gaudi's work, a note from my architecture history course back at Poly. Oh, and Blake (+ all my other architect friends), I can bet you're a bit jealous right now hehe :-P</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The rain still was hanging around, complete with a giant downpour while we were at Sagrada Famila. Apparently, Gaudi didn't design gutters and drainage systems, since the water from the roof poured right down in a flood on top of the incoming tourists. Take that all you non-believers!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next up, Starbucks of course! It's amazing that I've been off coffee since leaving Portland, but Monday required it. Umayr and I debated what to order, since a drip coffee doesn't really exist, an Americano is sort of like a drip and Iva says don't even bother with the mochas. A little bit of an ugly American thing, I know, but hey, we all have our staples that make us comfortable. I'm starting to get better at my Spanish, which I'm glad to see is coming back quickly after taking 7 years. I even got to get my name ('Mateo') on my cup. I have to watch it though, as sometimes I am too good at my Spanish that people start rapid-firing it back at me that I have to stumble and say “Hablo Ingles, por favor!” lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6843691129750741916" name="__DdeLink__2252_1782276807"></a>It was nice to get out of the rain and warm up with some coffee and have a chat while the rain died down. The four of us grabbed a cab to Park Guell, which was quite cozy (meaning I was squashed in the middle), but at least it was clean and cheap. There isn't really a Metro to the park other than one that drops you off at the bottom of the big hill to the park, and believe me, when you're walking 10s of miles a day, you pick your battles my friends. Even the bus from the hostel to the park would've cost more. A cab with four of us cost €1-2 per person; can't beat that!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Park Guell was just...I mean, you just gotta see it. The tiles are absolutely amazing; you can go macro-crazy with your camera if you want. We meandered through the park, taking photos like crazy. I even got to make use of my panorama mode on my phone (which is on my new camera now too; more on that later). Unfortunately, the rain hunted us down, but we were underneath the Gaudi columns when the second downpour of the day started. Even the pigeons ran for cover, latching on to the slanting stone wall underneath the columns. It was pretty entertaining watching them try to hold on. The rain was so sudden, the water flooded out from the top platform and washed down the famous tile steps past the lizard statue. Now, I don't know if Gaudi planned to have a muddy waterfall down his masterpiece when it rained, but seriously man, drainage again lol.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fighting a slightly broken umbrella (all of our umbrellas were now in different stages of disrepair), we hailed a taxi down to El Born for lunch tapas! One thing that's hard to get used to in Spain is the eat/sleep schedule; lunch at 2 p.m., dinner at 10 p.m. and clubbing past midnight. Well, at 3 p.m., we were right on rime for lunch for once. We had a plethora of dishes, from cheese to croquets to Spanish sausage. And, nobody really spoke English and it had a crowd, always a good sign. I'm still on the hunt for those free €1 tapas, but I'll wait for Madrid. Tapas are fun to share, it sort of makes me think of a Spanish dim sum when you sit down. Of course, the shouting at a bar with napkins all over the floor is the ultimate tapa experience, and that's what I'm hunting down next.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Per Iva's request, we immediately headed across the street to the <span style="color: #222222;">Museu de la Xocolata</span>. The coolest part was that actual ticket was a candy bar! Heck, it seemed like almost everything in there was made of chocolate (except the walls, we checked). That, and the liquid chocolate (thicker/richer than hot chocolate) was really good. Well, other than giving Sarah an EXTREME sugar high; shes crazy enough without it lol (sorry Sarah, you really are).</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right then and there, my camera shutter jammed AGAIN. Argh! Well, when traveling, treat everything as an experience, right? That experience gave us the idea to wander El Born, checking all the cool shops along the way for cameras and other swag, winding back up on Las Ramblas. We made it back to La Boqueria and showed the girls the fish skin Umayr had tried. Sarah even spontaneously jumped on a guys dolly after he finished moving some boxes (sugar high lol). Everybody around us had a good laugh. Next up, <span style="color: #222222;">El Corte Inglés</span>, the biggest department store in Barcelona and my prime target for a camera. The place on <span style="color: #222222;">Plaça de Catalunya</span>was HUGE; 10 stories of everything you can think of. I made a beeline for cameras on the 7<sup>th</sup>floor, finding a wide array of electronics that even makes Frys seem tame. After debating models and talking to the salesman (thank God I know some Spanish), I got a super-compact Panasonic (I missed my old Panasonic, and I've had no luck with my Sonys). And it was only about $150 with the SD card; not too shabby for a purchase I was not expecting. It's even a cool dark blue color (though the box says violet lol, oops)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After doing a little more window shopping, we made it back to the hostel to crash for a bit. All day on your feet will tire you out, but at least we accomplished a ton more than Sunday. I immediately started to charge my new camera, digging through the instructions in every language but English to set it up. Luckily, the guy behind the hostel desk was from Brazil, so he translated the Portuguese instructions we found. Gotta love meeting international friends!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I guess it really is off-season, as the hostel was now only ¼ full, which for this small hostel was 10 people. The entire kitchen/common-area held the entire population of the hostel! We all sat, ate a Brazilian meal of rice and beans. Umayr was super proud to have found and bought €1.95 bottles of wine, which we passed around as well. Gotta love it when alcohol costs way less than the food haha. And, it was actually decent stuff.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We played cards, chatted, laughed, had a good time for a rainy night. I journaled, planned Madrid and even got all my Barcelona pics edited and up (enjoy!). Although we were beat, Umayr and I planned to leave at 6:30am to catch our trains while Sarah figured she'd get a ticket for my train, since she was also heading to Madrid. We ran upstairs to pack so we didn't bother Iva too much in the morning since all of us were heading to...wait for it...</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nasty Monday. A great name for Barcelona's biggest club party on a Monday night. We all strolled down a few blocks to the club (Sarah falling and almost getting a concussion after trying to jump on Mike's back for a piggyback ride) and our hostel host got us in with a free drink. I'll be honest, we were getting up at 6:30 a.m. And we got to the club at 12:30 a.m. So yea...either we stayed for a bit or stayed up all night. Umayr and I went with the latter, preferring at least a little sleep. What made it easier was that the scene was predominantly rock music, which isn't my dance scene. They had some EDM (of which Umayr's also a fan), but that floor was kinda dead. So by 2 a.m., the two of us left, leaving Sarah with Mike and the other hostellers (who were apparently going after a pack of Swedish girls lol, have at it guys!) and we headed back.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We crashed, though not before I had another freezing cold shower (why!). I tossed and turned, forgetting my earplugs, but I figured I wasn't getting much sleep anyways. Tuesday morning, Umayr and I got up and headed out just before 7:30 a.m. to catch our 8:30 a.m. Trains. Unfortunately, Sarah came in later and wasn't up when we were leaving, though we did leave a bit earlier...but she found me in Madrid later so it's cool :-)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wrote most of this sitting on the AVE high speed train, whose 200-300kph blows MAX and Amtrak totally out of the water lol. Madrid's been a blur and I'm heading to Toledo in the morning, so time to get to sleep!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...oh and I forgot a few sections on Barcelona, so those will be in the next one too...</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alrighty, adios!</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Mateo</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-87198996638743473092013-11-17T16:14:00.000-08:002013-11-23T09:41:12.323-08:00Barça Beginnings, the Three Strikes and Larry<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">¡</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 0.15in;">Hola blog readers!</span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Guess I should update ya, huh? &nbsp;Well, so far so good. &nbsp;Pictures up soon btdubs, I'm a little behind haha. &nbsp;Compared to last time, the plane was breeze...no canceled flights or lost days on this trip! &nbsp;Although, the whole "remote gate" thing at my Amsterdam layover was a bit weird. &nbsp;With all the fog, they stuck our plane way out in the middle of nowhere (Schiphol&nbsp;is huge!) and bused us in. &nbsp;No sweat, we were back in the building and through customs in no time. &nbsp;And on the way, I hung with my plane buddy Betsy, who was on her way to Zurich to work for her professor from UC Davis, along with James and a bunch of sustainability guys going to an EV conference in Barcelona. &nbsp;If I get a chance, I just might stop by.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Barcelona brought rain...and it's been nothing but since. &nbsp;I have to say, coming from the PNW to land in rain and 50 degree weather, not my favorite. &nbsp;But, you gotta make do with what you got, and so far it's been a blast. &nbsp;I'm so thankful for Umayr, Iva, Sarah and all my other hostel mates...you guys are awesom</span><span style="color: black;">e! &nbsp;The first day, fresh off the plane and 9 hours </span><span style="color: black;">jet lagged</span><span style="color: black;">(with no sleep either), I found my friendly hostel in the Raval&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;after wandering up a few shady streets, toting me huge ass backpack and daypack through the airport and train station. &nbsp;Oh! </span><span style="color: black;">&nbsp;If you're an Android user, you have to try&nbsp;<a href="http://mapswith.me/">MapsWithMe</a>, it does an awesome job with offline maps...just be sure to download the 270MB file for your country BEFORE the plane </span><span style="color: black;">ride</span><span style="color: black;">lol. &nbsp;Though I don't recommend holding your phone out in public in Barcelona, it was a lifesaver for finding the hostel.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I checked in, got my tour info, and immediately bumped into Umayr, who checked in right behind me. &nbsp;He was fresh in from Toronto and I just got in from the US. &nbsp;What do we do? &nbsp;Hit the town, son! &nbsp;I mean sure, I didn't have sleep, but after my marathon of not sleeping 4 days last time in Europe, I figured I'd just keep pushing til I was dead. &nbsp;And man I gotta say...I really can push the limit hehe.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First up, we got lost in the Old City, scrambling around the winding, narrow streets of Barcelona. &nbsp;The rain did put a little bit of a damper on walking around, but hey, I'm from Portland, I'm used to this by now, right? &nbsp;We hustled our way over to Las Ramblas, tourist central in Barcelona, wandering through the crowds down towards the water. &nbsp;We popped into La Boqueria, the market at the center of the street, checking out the piles of candy, fish, tapas, fruit and other scents that filled the air. &nbsp;Oh man, Umayr, I'm sorry that the snack you grabbed turned out to be fried fish skin...but it was pretty hilarious hehe. &nbsp;The kiwi/coconut drink I grabbed though, very refreshing.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next up, we segued into the Barri Gotic, strolled passed Catedral, grabbed a couple chocolate-covered&nbsp;xurros (6 for&nbsp;€2!) and meandered right into the Museu Picasso. &nbsp;We kind of walked straight pass the security guard to use the bathroom in the museum (hey, it's an open-air museum, not my fault)...but we were good boys and bought tix, since it turns out we would've needed them right after the bathroom anyways haha.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With the rain (and now wind) as it was, the two of us ended up walking into the Santa Maria del Mar, which is an absolutely beautiful church at night, and we ran right into a free classical concert. &nbsp;It was very pretty, especially with the church as it was. &nbsp;Our march forward continued on along with the&nbsp;intensity&nbsp;of the rain and wind, leading us through El Born and towards the beach and La Barceloneta. Not much to see of the beach with the pouring rain, so we checked out and grabbed a Metro&nbsp;back.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, I'm always stressed about getting on to a decent sleep schedule while traveling. &nbsp;Not getting sleep...just some sort of sleep (don't joke, nobody really gets much sleep in hostels haha). &nbsp;This time, I think I nailed down the secret formula. &nbsp;It came by way of a meal among new hostel friends, a bottle of wine, and a pub crawl with some&nbsp;absinthe&nbsp;and mojitos. &nbsp;Natalia, you rocked at showing us around to a few cool bars and club in the city...I just wished I could've stayed until 5am! &nbsp;I'm always up for talking with a fellow Pole over drinks with new buddies :-)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back at 3 a.m., out in 30 minutes BAM! &nbsp;That's how you beat jetlag lol...well, that and maybe the&nbsp;ridiculously&nbsp;cold shower at 3 along with it...damn boiler. &nbsp;Didn't feel shabby in the morning either, other than I set my alarm to PM instead of AM...oops. &nbsp;Umayr, Iva and I got up and going by 11 a.m. (a little late, but hey it's vacation) and made an attempt (key word, attempt) at some Gaudi sites.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First up, the Exiample and Casa Batlló for a few pics. &nbsp;I somehow jammed the shutter on my camera and had an "OMG OMG OMG!" moment, so I switched to my phone. &nbsp;I mean, it is the beginning of the trip, but replacing a camera on the most expensive street in Barcelona? &nbsp;No thanks. &nbsp;Luckily, we made it to Casa Milà&nbsp;(just up the street), snapped a few pics and went for coffee, and the damn thing decided to wake up...thank you, stupid camera, hope you live for two more weeks!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So that brings me to...(drum roll, maybe?)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Strike #1: Casa Milà's roof terrace was closed for rain</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There was like NO rain, but it was a safety thing. &nbsp;Fine, we're positive people, so we just headed 10 blocks west to Sagrada Familia, THE thing to see in BCN. &nbsp;We didn't have tickets, and lines can suck, but it didn't seem like a big problem off-season. &nbsp;Well the line stretched all around the side, past the Metro stop (which conveniently dumps you right off in the Sagrada queue lol) and on and on. &nbsp;When we when to get in line, it turns out that...</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Strike #2: Sagrada Familia was closing for mass at 2 p.m.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Damn! &nbsp;So close to doing something! &nbsp;Okay, okay, we grabbed a quick lunch (got a great jam</span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">ó</span></span></em><span style="color: black;">n </span><span style="color: black;">sandwich at a little cafe) and jumped on the Metro to&nbsp;Montjuïc&nbsp;to take a stroll up to the&nbsp;Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya&nbsp;and...</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Strike #3: The museum closed at 3 p.m.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A bit defeated, the three of us trekked back through the neighborhoods to the hostel for a pit stop. &nbsp;I gotta say, the rain definitely doesn't help with Sunday schedules (and the late start lol). &nbsp;Right then, we made a vow to hit Sagrada (with tickets) and Park Guell first thing tomorrow! &nbsp;With that, we cleaned up and met up with Sarah, who's from friggin' Detroit! (Inkster, actually). &nbsp;Not to mention my new roomie is from Troy...so weird. &nbsp;Anywho, the four of us trekked back into the rain, since it was only 6...I mean, that's like the dead time in Spain, with dinner starting at 10 p.m. &nbsp;We made it back to Barceloneta on the bus, laughing all the way. &nbsp;Apparently, dirty jokes are a common denominator amongst international friends, along with comedy. &nbsp;I'm glad I'm well-versed in both :-)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mr. Rain came back with a&nbsp;vengeance&nbsp; but we slid into an awesome Argentinian restaurant (around 8 p.m., still too early for dinner, but I'm still trying to figure this out). &nbsp;Lots of sangria and some filling food made the cool, chilly stroll back to the Metro all the better.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, and then there was "Larry" to round out the evening. &nbsp;So, the four of us get on the Metro and a few stops in, a random guy (who we all now call Larry) got on the train. &nbsp;Now, they say that you have to watch yourself on Metro, but as Umayr said, if this guy was a thief, he was REALLY bad. &nbsp;Not to mention all four of us had trained ourselves to be uber-aware in Barcelona, since that's what everybody says. &nbsp;So...guy gets on the train, right between Umayr&nbsp;+ Me and Iva&nbsp;+ Sarah. &nbsp;We're standing at these like standing pads/chairs and this guy is leaning right on the door...even though there was space all over the train car. &nbsp;A stop later, he comes and stands right on top of me (still space all over the place btw) and puts his one arm&nbsp;across&nbsp;my face and reaches for one of the handrails. &nbsp;Now I'm like, okay, he obviously wants to yank my camera or wallet, staring off casually in one direction. &nbsp;I proceed to turn my head and stare past him in the opposite direction, looking right at the transit map, watching him from the corner of my eye. &nbsp;At this point, what does he do with his other hand? &nbsp;Uh, he sticks it down his pants? &nbsp;Hmm...ok. &nbsp;I just sat there and stared. &nbsp;A moment later, he moves a bit away, and I feel relieved after checking my pockets. &nbsp;A minute later we get off to transfer, and Sarah breaks out laughing, along with Umayr, for what seems like no reason.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, turns out that everyone in our group watched my&nbsp;stare-down&nbsp;and the hand-in-the-pants thing with Larry go down, which I gotta admit must have looked hilarious. &nbsp;That, and he followed us to the transfer! Needless to say, he went home empty handed, with the&nbsp;stare-down&nbsp;from 3 Americans and a Canadian. &nbsp;It was like having my own Metro posse, very cool haha. &nbsp;Oh, we also go heckled by a guy making random remarks in English (it's amazing what people think of Americans), but after we figured out he had started talking gibberish and his girlfriend was holding a conversation with her umbrella, we decided to let them enjoy there trip and waited for them to get off the train. &nbsp;Public transit, gotta love it!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back to the hostel, a few treats bought from the snack shop and some good stories made it a nice, chill night...AND I found enough time to even write :-) &nbsp;I have to say, so far, the weather's not cooperating, but you gotta work with what you got. &nbsp;I'm so happy for my little umbrella and extra layers...I was&nbsp;totally&nbsp;NOT expecting this with the&nbsp;forecast. I'm hoping for warmer weather *fingers crossed* on future parts of the journey, but even so, it's still an awesome time, and the hostel culture is so nice to have at times like this. &nbsp;To come "home" and have people to just chat with, share photos, crack jokes and have a drink is so much nicer than staying alone in a hotel. &nbsp;As always,&nbsp;hosteling&nbsp;is the way to travel solo for sure. &nbsp;Soooooo many people, it's great!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, off to bed and Sagrada early in the morning, I'll keep on posting and getting more clever as I get some sleep lol, have a pleasant evening/afternoon all yous US people and we'll chat soon. &nbsp;Oh, and I'll have the lowdown on tapas as soon as I can get a clear night to go hopping around.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">¡</span></span>Buenas noches!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mateo</span></span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-51213088386642379112013-11-09T17:38:00.000-08:002013-11-23T09:41:34.563-08:00Onward to Spain<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The blog is back, and just in time for the trip to Spain! &nbsp;Be sure to stay tuned for pics and journal entries from my upcoming trip. &nbsp;I can't wait until Friday, it should be a blast. &nbsp;Check back soon and adios!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Matt</span>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-5755651521065233802012-09-15T16:47:00.003-07:002012-09-15T17:29:20.415-07:00Maker Mayhem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i0Mo53Shm4/UFUM4LbdM6I/AAAAAAAAEl0/b9pEoXVedxU/s1600/2012-09-15+12.03.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i0Mo53Shm4/UFUM4LbdM6I/AAAAAAAAEl0/b9pEoXVedxU/s320/2012-09-15+12.03.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Wow...just, wow! &nbsp;As always, I've slacked for a while and haven't posted, but this deserves a post. &nbsp;Today I had the opportunity to volunteer at the <a href="http://www.omsi.edu/maker-faire-pdx">PDX Mini-Maker Faire</a> @ OMSI and it was simply AWESOME! &nbsp;It was just the perfect event for me, and I encourage anyone who's a geek (or interested in applying to geek-dom) to definitely check out your local Faire.<br /><br />I've always said that I've wanted to do circuit board design as a hobby...yet I already have like 29,349,247 hobbies, so I've never had the time to do said hobby. &nbsp;After working at Intel and doing prototype board design for a living, I've definitely found my calling. &nbsp;I see myself becoming a consultant or working in a prototyping firm in Seattle or Portland (STILL working &nbsp;on that post :-P), doing design work for small companies and startups. &nbsp;I figure, hey, if I can't come up with an original idea or one that I'm not passionate about, why not help out other startups?<br /><br />Of course, it's a niche market, and though I'll try my darndest to get into it, there's always the chance that I won't get in the door. &nbsp;There's also the chance to work for Intel again (oh yea, I got an offer after grad school, yay!), so we'll see. &nbsp;It's even possible that I start or work for a company not doing any sorta circuit board stuff. &nbsp;In that case, I've found my answer...Makers.<br /><br />A maker is loosely defined as someone who is passionate about tinkering, finding how things work, going out and building it, and then sharing it openly with the world. &nbsp;It encompasses everything from circuit boards to model rockets to custom woodwork...name a hobby project you'd like to do, you're a Maker. &nbsp;The Faire is a great display of all the ingenuity that surrounds us, yet we may never see it. &nbsp;I agree with the founder of Make Magazine that we're an individualist group, everywhere and yet we never know each other except through the web. &nbsp;That's why these events are so great; we can come together and meet other, network and share awesome ideas and projects with each other and the community.<br /><br />So yes, today was my first chance to check out a Maker Faire and I got totally geeked out, took too many pics and cluttered the News Feed (sorry!). &nbsp;Since I'm an "S" according to Myers-Briggs test, I always like to share things in list form, so why not? &nbsp;Here's some of my favs from the Maker Faire and also <a href="http://www.xoxofest.com/">XOXO</a> (a technology art festival):<br /><br /><ul><li>A pumpkin- and watermelon-launching trebuchet...because they are just SO cool, and it's amazing to see a watermelon vaporize into thin a when it hits the ground :-)</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kl842A_Vlxw/UFULSGDeWBI/AAAAAAAAElI/zyHCDoBxuyA/s1600/2012-09-15+11.00.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kl842A_Vlxw/UFULSGDeWBI/AAAAAAAAElI/zyHCDoBxuyA/s320/2012-09-15+11.00.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li>A computer case completely made of Legos, as well as several other choice Lego projects...mine are still at home, awaiting a possible future engineer lol</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqN2AnjXy3w/UFULjxYLDZI/AAAAAAAAElQ/gsqmiI3Xk58/s1600/2012-09-15+11.04.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqN2AnjXy3w/UFULjxYLDZI/AAAAAAAAElQ/gsqmiI3Xk58/s320/2012-09-15+11.04.00.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li><a href="http://www.surplusgizmos.com/">SurplusGizmos.com</a>, a store that's chock FULL of random electronics, motors, computers, you name it, they have it. &nbsp;I didn't even know these stores were around anymore. &nbsp;It's out by Intel, but I think I just may have to make a trip from Seattle a few times to grab some choice items.</li><li>Swords anyone? &nbsp;A variety of swords to test out and a working blacksmith are all available at the PDX Faire.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYNpe223w1I/UFULyWehPPI/AAAAAAAAElY/Oz9oxyTENxQ/s1600/2012-09-15+11.43.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYNpe223w1I/UFULyWehPPI/AAAAAAAAElY/Oz9oxyTENxQ/s320/2012-09-15+11.43.42.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li>A do-it-yourself demo on reflow soldering using a hotplate from Freddy's (Fred Meyer for the non-Portlanders)...something I definitely need to know for future projects. &nbsp;This also gave me a chance to talk with members of <a href="http://www.dorkbotpdx.org/">DorkBot</a>, a electronics/maker enthusiast group all over the US, including PDX and Seattle!</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iOVxFcsNzYQ/UFUL4drGN8I/AAAAAAAAElg/RUPeCO7jGfs/s1600/2012-09-15+11.48.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iOVxFcsNzYQ/UFUL4drGN8I/AAAAAAAAElg/RUPeCO7jGfs/s320/2012-09-15+11.48.53.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li>Learned about <a href="http://www.oshpark.com/">Oshpark.com</a>, a great site for board builders to make small scale boards for their prototypes. &nbsp;Unlike big fabs, you can order small boards and small quanities for a great price (something like $5/sq in.), which will be a life saver in the future of my projects. &nbsp;Made in the USA as well.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C_4Nf489OAA/UFUdVpoUg3I/AAAAAAAAEmE/CYIcWR8N8Ok/s1600/2012-09-15+16.06.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C_4Nf489OAA/UFUdVpoUg3I/AAAAAAAAEmE/CYIcWR8N8Ok/s320/2012-09-15+16.06.48.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li><a href="http://www.brainsilo.org/">Brain Silo</a>, a place where you can rent workspace to geek out and use tools I don't have room for or can't afford...I wonder if there's one in Seattle?</li><li>The <a href="http://www.makerbot.com/">MakerBot</a>, a rapid-prototype 3D printer that did amazing work, only $1799 for single color...and even a 5% discount if you're a student :-P</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKd102I04K8/UFUMMsG08NI/AAAAAAAAEls/QCXSmDpVWOg/s1600/2012-09-15+12.52.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKd102I04K8/UFUMMsG08NI/AAAAAAAAEls/QCXSmDpVWOg/s320/2012-09-15+12.52.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><ul><li>A stroll over to XOXO and the marketplace (open to the public) yielded <a href="http://www.makeymakey.com/">Makey Makey</a>, a awesome invention that uses human touch and electric current to take everyday objects and make them into human interactive interfaces. &nbsp;Imagine, a banana piano or a human-powered synthesizer...you gotta check this one out.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joylabs/makey-makey-an-invention-kit-for-everyone/widget/video.html" width="480"> </iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And the list goes on and on and on...whew! &nbsp;So there you have it, Maker Faire, check it out y'all! &nbsp;I'm sure I'll soon be looking at a lotta of these cool projects, not to say that I have the time haha, but we'll see. &nbsp;I've chosen to dedicate 1-2 hrs a day, even during school, to just "do": write, read, board building, blogging...basically a time to do all those hobbies I have.</div><div><br /></div><div>With that, I'll leave you with one last bit of news, I'm starting my first maker-esque project! &nbsp;I actually started developing it before the Faire, reading specs, ordering parts, etc, but now it's like fully on. &nbsp;The website is forthcoming (my other blog server is down), but it's called the:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>B</u></b>ike <b><u>E</u></b>xcursion <b><u>A</u></b>utomatic <b><u>G</u></b>PS <b><u>L</u></b>ogger</div><div><br /></div><div>...or <b>"Beagl"</b> for short. &nbsp;More on that later :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, back to PDX for a fun weekend and then off to Seattle for grad school next weekend. &nbsp;Stay tuned and have a great Saturday!</div><div><br /></div><div>-StM</div><div><br /></div><div><time hobby="hobby" to="to"></time></div><br /><br />Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-91236924832418070052012-05-21T23:26:00.004-07:002012-05-21T23:40:59.720-07:00To Bolt or to Train...<br /><br /><center><table><tbody><tr><td><img border="0" height="175" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bv7QO_ubvG0/T7su4iOirbI/AAAAAAAAEj8/Z1UxLxuTRgU/s320/bolt.jpg" /></td><td><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp1oyu3RKmc/T7su27ckXUI/AAAAAAAAEj0/kVNNtC-3l6A/s320/amtrak.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><br />Before I broach the subject of Seattle vs. Portland (a topic that I'm still researching :-) &nbsp;I thought I'd share my experiences on traveling between these two awesome cities in the PacNW.<br /><br />As I've written many times before on my blog, I try to avoid driving as much as possible. &nbsp;Do I hate driving? &nbsp;No, I love it, especially since I drive stick, but one person driving back and forth between Seattle and PDX isn't the best for the environment, not to mention expensive. &nbsp;So what do I do?<br /><br />Well, I'm sort of what you'd call a "transit junkie". &nbsp;I absolutely love riding on trains, buses, ferries and planes as much as the actual traveling itself. &nbsp;As one particularly loud and annoying passenger on MAX said last Friday, "most of the fun of traveling is getting there" and I couldn't agree more. &nbsp;Maybe you don't agree with me, maybe you think mass transit is too slow, dirty and doesn't get you where a car does, and that's probably true for many. &nbsp;But for me, I count it as a blessing that I live in the Northwest, where you don't have to drive all the time, giving me a chance to catch up on reading (I've never read so much as I do now) and avoid traffic and the "pain at the pump" to quote CNN everytime gas goes up.<br /><br />Where was I? &nbsp;Oh, right! &nbsp;I travel to Seattle about every other weekend to take a break from Intel. &nbsp;Over the next six months, that translates to roughly 4800 miles of driving, which would cost me about $800 at current gas prices. Yikes! &nbsp;Not too mention the clog on I-5 north of Portland every Friday as well as the drawn out commute up the freeway. &nbsp;It's just not the most exciting trip.<br /><br />When I moved down here, I started snooping around and found Amtrak. &nbsp;"Amtrak, are you kidding me?" I thought. &nbsp;Keep in mind, before moving to Seattle, I lived in California, land of the ever-late and ever-cancelled Amtrak routes. &nbsp;Granted, I never took one, but the stories I heard were enough. &nbsp;Hour delays waiting for freight trains (Amtrak leases their tracks) and cramped cars. &nbsp;Not to mention, it typically took you twice as long by train to get anywhere when you could drive (hint: fix up the trains and maybe not so many people would drive in CA). &nbsp;Thus, my skeptisicism. &nbsp;However, it IS only $60 each roundtrip (about a tank of gas) and I get a student or AAA discount, so for $100 less why the hell not?<br /><br />Now, many of my friends at UW who take this route said the Cascades was nothing like the "Star-late" (Pacific Starliner) or any other Amtrak routes. &nbsp;It is more like a European train, which I could relate to; I loved riding the rails all over Europe. &nbsp;I'll try anything once, so I said "Why not?"<br /><br />Since moving down, I've taken the train a handful of times and I must say, I'm pretty impressed. &nbsp;The trains are pretty much on time (+/- 15 minutes) and the cabin is very comfortable, complete with WiFi and a dining car. &nbsp;Besides the fact that I can get to the station from work with mass transit, I'd say by far the best thing is the view; the lakes and mountains look simply awesome, and you can't say the same for I-5. &nbsp;Now, there are some negatives (which I go over below) but needless to say that although I'm impressed, the fact that fares are actually about $90.10 RT after my discounts is a little more than I can swallow. &nbsp;What's a guy to do?<br /><br />Well, one day at work, someone posted on our company blog about this thing called Bolt Bus, promising $1 (yes, $1) trips back and forth from PDX &lt;-&gt; SEA. &nbsp;Are you kidding me? &nbsp;This I had to see, so I jumped on their site (which was barely up) and grabbed a couple of RT tickets for $2! &nbsp;Pretty sweet.<br /><br />So what's their deal? &nbsp;They're actually part of Greyhound (but they never say that, probably for good reason) and have a few other of these routes in the Northeast. &nbsp;Not all seats are $1 (more like $10-15 each way when I look later on the schedule), but still, $20-30 RT!? &nbsp;AND it sounds like some people are randomly selected each trip to pay $1, which I think is a gamble I'm willing to take.<br /><br />I just got back from my first Bolt Bus RT Sunday and I must say, I am quite happy with the trip. &nbsp;Yes, it's on I-5 and no there's no food, but it is direct to Seattle (Amtrak makes about a half dozen stops) and it's more convenient to me (picking you up right off Salmon St) which is nice. &nbsp;The seats are cozy, though balancing your laptop on your lap is a little awkward. &nbsp;Oh, and the bus was only half full! &nbsp;Wtf? &nbsp;I'm sure that after people go and tell their friends (case and point: this blog) that they will become very packed.<br /><br />The drivers were very nice, but other than a few messages at the start and end, it was pretty quiet, which is nice. &nbsp;It sounds like they're adding more buses as they play around with the schedule, as well as adding routes to Eugene and Vancouver, BC soon, which is great. &nbsp;Man, they are RIGHT in competition with Amtrak: same routes, same times, cheaper cost. &nbsp;I know the view on Amtrak is great, but I don't know, this is gonna hurt. &nbsp;And they just got a bunch of federal money to improve the rail corridor, so I wonder how that will go. &nbsp;Maybe they'll finish the 5 years of renovations at King St?<br /><br />One last thing, the bus is so convenient downtown; it's right smack dab in the middle of Portland and Seattle, whereas Union Station is a bit out of my way for the train. &nbsp;I got home on Sunday, walked one block east, and 2 minutes later I was on the 15 to Belmont. &nbsp;Beautiful, my hat's off to the guys at Bolt Bus for making this really a great experience.<br /><br />You know me, I'm a man of lists. &nbsp;Who doesn't like a good list, right? &nbsp;I don't claim to be an expert on Cascades or Bolt Bus by any means, but after my first few trips, here's how I see it:<br /><br /><b>Amtrak Cascades</b><br /><ul><li>Train from Seattle to Portland</li><li>Trip Time: 3 1/2 hours</li><li>Cost: $90.10 RT on weekends w/ student discount</li><li>Location: King St. Station (Seattle), Union Station (Portland)</li><li>Route: Scenic corridor, avoids I-5<enter></enter></li></ul><div>Pros</div><div><ul><li>WiFi (slow, just like on airlines)</li><li>Outlets</li><li>Comfy seats w/ lots of legroom and trays (good for laptops)</li><li>Lots of room for baggage</li><li>No security screenings</li><li>Food available (complete with dining car)</li><li>Bathrooms in every car</li><li>Beautiful, quiet route along the water</li></ul>Cons</div><div><ul><li>More expensive</li><li>Wait in long line to board</li><li>Seat assignments (though they often don't care after a certain point)</li><li>Makes stops</li><li>Does wait for freight trains (sometimes 15-30 minutes delayed)</li><li>PDX station not as convenient (requires 1-2 MAX trips and a bit of walking)</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><b>Bolt Bus</b></div><div><ul><li>Bus from Seattle to Portland</li><li>Trip Time: 3 1/2 hours (Closer to 3 hrs)</li><li>Cost: $1-25 each way depending on when you buy (average is about $10-15)</li><li>Location:&nbsp;S Jackson St. and&nbsp;5th Ave S (Seattle), 647 SW Salmon St. (Portland)</li><li>Route: I-5</li></ul><div><div>Pros</div><div><ul><li>Cheaper</li><li>Hop right on</li><li>More convenient location in PDX (for me)</li><li>WiFi</li><li>No assigned seating</li><li>Outlets</li><li>Express, no stops</li><li>Lots of room for baggage</li><li>No security screenings</li><li>Bathrooms in rear</li></ul><div>Cons</div></div></div></div><div><ul><li>Less legroom and no trays (harder for laptops)</li><li>Dim reading lights</li><li>No food on board, though you can bring it</li><li>Subject to traffic on I-5</li><li>Not as picturesque</li><li>WiFi choppy; driver will stop to reset it (amazing, he did this on the way to SEA)</li><li>Outlets only every few seats, so be sure to look</li></ul><div>There you have it, the train vs. the bus. &nbsp;I hope this helps you decide on your next trip. &nbsp;As for me, I will deifnitely be taking the bus more often than the train, though I think the extra room for my computer and the view will call me back every few times. &nbsp;As one article put it, the train is more about the experience in many ways; if you just need to get from A to B, then Bolt is definitely the way to go. &nbsp;Otherwise, it may be worth taking the train.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>That's my two cents, now go forth and enjoy your ride around the PacNW!</div><div><br /></div><div>- StM</div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-24984158278653679342012-04-10T19:44:00.000-07:002012-04-10T19:44:14.022-07:00Hope you have a big trunk...<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><br /><center><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="width: 450px;"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ouWAfdJ7J5M/T4TAi5UFTbI/AAAAAAAAEhI/MHozeaCtm5c/s320/2845.DSC00322.JPG-0x400.jpg" /></span></td><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUWMA93bP1M/T4TAjUgsbII/AAAAAAAAEhQ/48F79lfyQVw/s320/6557.DSC00324.JPG-0x400.jpg" /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I wrote this up for my company blog post, but I felt I should share it here as well, even if it is a bit of a repeat...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After my first week at Intel, I'm starting to find my groove. &nbsp;One tough spot has been my commute from the SE everyday. &nbsp;I know, why did I live that far? &nbsp;Since I'm here for 6 months from Seattle, I thought I'd take the opportunity to live in Portland and try it out. &nbsp;That said, the first week of driving was pretty bad; nearly an hour one-way in rush hour traffic. &nbsp;It only took a few days for me to realize that I needed to change my route. &nbsp;And that's where the idea of biking arose. &nbsp;I've done this many times before (as illustrated below), but this was the longest commute by far (20 miles). &nbsp;I'm here to share my story of commuting by bike, provide tips, and possibly encourage you to also give biking a shot, even when it seems out of reach.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Story</span></span></strong></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Like any high school student in Michigan, I wanted nothing more than to have my license so I could drive. &nbsp;And that I did. &nbsp;At the same time, I loved (and still love) to bike. &nbsp;My dad and I used to ride all over town as well as participate in touring rides such as the Five Boro Bike Tour (NYC), the L.A.T.E. Ride (Chicago), Apple Cider Century, Blue Water Ramble, Hell Ride, Peach of a Ride and Big Mac Tour. &nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;">When I moved to California to start college at Cal Poly, I got a car my second year and started driving the 5 miles to campus each day, fighting for parking and paying hundreds of dollars for a pass just so that my car could get dinged (which happened the first week). &nbsp;I soon learned I was big road trip fan and gladly volunteered for excursions up the PCH to Monterey, down to Santa Barbara or just the In-n-Out in Atascadero. &nbsp;I was also biking quite regularly for exercise, but I never thought of driving to campus, even when my car was in the shop. &nbsp;Bike? &nbsp;ALL the way to campus? &nbsp;That sounded crazy.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then one day it hit me: why can't I bike to school? &nbsp;I mean, I used to bike 50-75 mile rides all the time back home, so what's five measly miles? &nbsp;The worry wort in me came up with a million excuses: what if I get a flat? what if I'm late to class? what if it rains? &nbsp;To quell those fears, I experimented, testing bike routes w</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">hen I had time, figuring out how to pack clothes, tools and books into my backpack and dealing with flats as they arose. &nbsp;Turns out, it was pretty simple, so I began riding every other day. &nbsp;Soon, I switched to a Timbuk2 bag because the backpack wasn't cutting it and I started picking up more gear to keep me warm. &nbsp;Sure, some people looked at me weird when I washed up at the UU (the union), but I was proud to wear my rolled up jeans and a messenger bag strapped diagonally across my back. &nbsp;Not only did it cut down on gas and reduce my carbon footprint, it was also more relaxing and energized me everyday, not to mention giving me a </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">cha</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">nce to get some exercise in.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-decoration: underline;">San Luis Obispo (5 mi)</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bike</b><span style="color: #274e13;">: Monday, Wednesday, Friday</span></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b>Car</b>: Tuesday, Thursday (or as needed)</span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202343094523570053276.0004bd4832fb4f206896a&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=35.277972,-120.660926&amp;spn=0.043084,0.017949&amp;output=embed" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;">Graduation day came, and I found myself working for HGST in the sprawling mass that is San Jose. &nbsp;I slogged the 15 miles along Highway 85 every morning from Campbell to South San Jose, enduring the traffic and Bay Area driving skills (no blinkers, merging across all lanes, etc...). &nbsp;I chatted about biking with my coworkers, but bike 30 miles a day across a not-so-bike-friendly city? &nbsp;Oh, now you got to be kidding! &nbsp;However, after surveying the shower situation at work, calculating my routes and planning my gear list, it didn't seem too crazy after all. &nbsp;People at work (and still those I tell about this today) think I was probably a little mental, but I'd say we're all a little bit crazy in our own way. &nbsp;Skeptics aside, I began biking roundtrip 30 miles every other day. &nbsp;I picked up a lot more repair skills (broken tires, flats, lost pedals...) as well as clothing (rain and cold weather gear) and fitness know-how. &nbsp;I strained this and that, and even gave myself carpal tunnel from improperly adjusted handlebars. &nbsp;No matter, I still pulled it off, biking roughly 6000 miles during my two years at HGST.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-decoration: underline;">San Jose (15 mi)</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bike</b><span style="color: #274e13;">: Monday, Wednesday, Friday</span></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b>Car</b>: Tuesday, Thursday (or as needed)</span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202343094523570053276.0004bd481bd57ee7314e2&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=37.277996,-121.869723&amp;spn=0.062008,0.160793&amp;output=embed" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;">Next up, grad school at UW and biking through the lovely Seattle weather. &nbsp;Again, more rain gear (and even some snow gear) along with more knowledge of riding in not-so-ideal conditions. &nbsp;I'll be honest though, on my 5 mile trip from Ballard along the Burke Gilman trail, nothing is more fun than riding in the pouring rain, if properly geared up of course. &nbsp;Now, I've taken a 6 month hiatus to work as an intern at Intel and I'm so happy I have the chance. &nbsp;As I mentioned before, I'm taking advantage of my time here and have decided to move to the SE, keeping in mind how bad my commute to JF was going to be. &nbsp;After just my first week on the job, I was over the commute. &nbsp;Upwards of an hour hauling myself through stop-and-go traffic along the Sunset and I-405 was just not my idea of a pleasant weekday evening, so I started eyeing the MAX.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-decoration: underline;">Seattle (5 mi)</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bike</b><span style="color: #274e13;">: Monday, Wednesday, Friday</span></span><br /><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b>Bus</b>: Tuesday, Thursday (or as needed)</span><br /><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202343094523570053276.0004bd4c3651ff93ccca5&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=47.658116,-122.342591&amp;spn=0.024107,0.072656&amp;output=embed" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can happily say that despite this being my longest commute ever, I'm successfully managing to bike and train to the campus without adding a ton of time to my commute. &nbsp;Of course the first few days of the commute have been a little rough (this being day two), but I'm learning a lot each day. &nbsp;For example, I had no idea how to get my bike on th</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">e different trains, but now I understand. &nbsp;I also realize that carrying two bags (a pannier and my Timbuk2) is a little cumbersome and have consolidated them into one. &nbsp;Using a combination of bike &gt; train &gt; bike, I can get to work and be ready to go in a little over an hour; not too shabby. &nbsp;And in&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the interim, I can read, plan a trip, whatever I feel like. &nbsp;It's great!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-decoration: underline;">Portland (20 mi)</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Bike</span>/<span style="color: #073763;">MAX</span></b><span style="color: #274e13;">: Monday - Friday</span></span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"> <b>Car</b>: As needed</span><br /><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=202343094523570053276.0004bd483e67aeccb3f3f&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=45.515904,-122.79655&amp;spn=0.051391,0.334139&amp;output=embed" width="425"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Here are the external links for Google Maps:&nbsp; </span><a href="http://g.co/maps/9ajzc" style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">SLO</a><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"> | </span><a href="http://g.co/maps/s2jd4" style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">San Jose</a><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"> | </span><a href="http://g.co/maps/jwpv4" style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Seattle</a><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"> | </span><a href="http://g.co/maps/wce3p" style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Portland</a></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Quick Stats</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;">What am I getting out of this? &nbsp;Besides exercise and better feeling knowing I'm helping the environment a bit, here are some rough statistics regarding my route:</span><br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Driving commute:&nbsp;[20 mi * 2 trips/day * 20 days/month * 6 months] * 1 gal / 25 mi * $4.00/gal = <strong>$768.00 + wear/tear</strong></span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;">Biking commute: $92/pass - $30 Intel discount * 6 months =<strong> $372.00</strong></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see, over my 6 month stay, I will save <strong>$396</strong>, not to mention wear and tear on my car while also getting exercise and keeping the air cleaner. &nbsp;In that same time period, I will cover roughly&nbsp;</span><strong>1440 miles&nbsp;</strong>by bike, or roughly the distance from Vancouver, BC to the Mexican border. &nbsp;Not too bad.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tips and Tricks</span></strong></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I feel that anyone, with the right mindset and equipment, can easily bike or commute with a car, even at a great distance. &nbsp;Of course, not knowing where to start can leave anyone skeptical. &nbsp;With that, here are some items and tips to have at the ready if planning a bike commute:</span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lights (front and rear, always charged)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Helmet w/ rain cover</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thermal skull cap</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sunglasses / rain glasses</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">High-visibility waterproof jacket</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bike gloves (with and without fingers)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">U-lock w/ extra cable</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Panniers or messenger bag</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tools (allen wrench set, multitool, extra tube, mini-pump, tire boot, tube patch kit, pedal levers, chain tool)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Biking clothes (Lycra shorts, jersey, arm/leg warmers) or commuter clothes (jeans and a shirt) - your preference</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rain pants</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bike shoes and socks (if you have clips)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Shoe Covers&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Normal clothing (if wearing biking clothes)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Towel &amp; toiletries (if you need to shower)</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A few tips for riding on the road:</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Always have a backup: a bus, a train, or a car. &nbsp;For those days when you can't bike or you have an emergency.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Check conditions before heading out. &nbsp;Rain and cold are fine if you have the gear. &nbsp;I bike when it's above freezing and the wind speed is below 20 mph.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Check your tires and lights before leaving.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Roll up your right pant leg (or use a reflective ankle band) to keep looser clothes out of your gears.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Know your route; bring a map of the city if needed.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Time your bus/train segments. &nbsp;Make sure you know the rules of bikes on the bus/train and have a schedule.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Have a phone for emergencies.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Leave some gear such as toiletries and a pair of dress shoes at the office.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bring your bike with you if you can. &nbsp;If you have to leave it at a station, be sure to properly lock it, with the U-lock through the front tire and frame and the cable between the two tires and attached to the U-lock.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Be curtious and follow posted street signs. &nbsp;Use hand signals to indicate turns to car and bike traffic. &nbsp;Slow down and check intersections before barreling through them.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Stretch! &nbsp;It might seem silly, but it can save a lot of pain down the road.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Last of all have fun, bring a book on the train, and relax. &nbsp;Biking is a lot of fun, gives you some exercise, saves you money and helps the environment. &nbsp;I hope that this (rather long) post helps you on your way to consider commuting by bike. &nbsp;Who knows, maybe I'll see you out on the road :-)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Until next time...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-Matt</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-40756635392550354212012-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:002012-02-20T23:03:20.443-08:00Oh, Seattle :-)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C7PlYB93dXc/T0NBAlnNBWI/AAAAAAAAEfU/usRRiwONsbs/s1600/P1040096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C7PlYB93dXc/T0NBAlnNBWI/AAAAAAAAEfU/usRRiwONsbs/s400/P1040096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wow, I really need to stop disappearing for months at a time. &nbsp;But what can I say, I've been busy. &nbsp;The last time I wrote on here, I was just arriving in Seattle. &nbsp;It's now...5 months later. &nbsp;How's it been? &nbsp;Well, it's been quite a story, but I think I've decided: I will be staying in Seattle for a loooong time :-)</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I first got here, however, it was a bit of a different story. &nbsp;It was always dark and cloudy. &nbsp;It was cooler than California by a ton. &nbsp;I started grad school and didn't know anybody. &nbsp;My housing situ wasn't the best. &nbsp;After a few weeks, I was beginning to think I made a serious mistake. &nbsp;But, as with San Jose, I just told myself these things take time. &nbsp;I mean, this is the second time I've uprooted myself, left all my friends and changed states; it's not easy. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, after living here a couple months, I ABSOLUTELY love it! &nbsp;And while many people (especially Californians) think I'm crazy, I can't really find much that I dislike. &nbsp;I think it's because Seattle reminds me a lot of the Midwest, just not with tons of snow and humidity. &nbsp;That's fine with me :-) &nbsp;I've come here a few times before this, and loved it each time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can now truly say I will be living in Washington for the near future and that I'm probably not heading back to CA. &nbsp;Of course, I really do miss everyone down in the Bay, and it's still been rough meeting people. &nbsp;Still, it's only a few hours by plane, so I'll be visiting a lot; heck, I'll be there in 3 weeks :-)</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what's new? &nbsp;The short version: I'm in grad school, I TA, I'm (still) writing my novel, I'm working on starting a company, I'm starting a new volunteer group like SVV (yay!), I'm dating, and I'll be starting an internship for 6 months in March...MAN, a lot can happen even over a few short months!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, I have a list of things I love about Seattle. &nbsp;Without further ado, here we go:</span><br /><br /><ul class="fKtGDc"><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meeting Danielle, an awesome girl who doesn't make fun of my awkwardness :-)</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And Sydnie, the best roomie EVER</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Snow days</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Pop" instead of "soda"</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Underwater freeways</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jimmy Johns</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Electric busses</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feeling like I live in a NW version of SF</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gay marriage</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bike trails everywhere!</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cozy, cool days</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coffee shops</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">T smoked salmon guy</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yay Ballard!</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rainy bike rides</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">UW (Go Huskies!)</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roundabouts</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ferry rides</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Farmers markets</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Driving the viaduct</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">C89.5, dance music 24/7 and no&nbsp;commercials!</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TAing</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seeing Mt. Rainer while walking to the EEB</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Draw bridges</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Costco, Starbucks, McCormick, and Amazon</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fremont Troll</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gasworks Park</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Viewing downtown from West Seattle</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Canada</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Entrepreneurship</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PDX and VC in under 3 hours</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Fish" Philosophy</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Duck Boats</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uwajimaya</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Locks</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lucid Jazz Lounge</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The "Have a great day" guy by Safeway</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Riding the SLUT</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">13 Coins in the middle of night</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bubble Tea</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Snowshoeing</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Researching</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Space Needle</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Erotic Bakery (still need to go)</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Food trucks randomly popping up</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Crisp, clear days</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wearing layers</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">24 hour supermarkets</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Skateboarders w/ dogs</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Onebusaway</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christmas lights on cranes and radio towers</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Biking under bridges</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seatac runway lights</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sunny days</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dogs, dogs, dogs!</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Steep hills</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Green grass and green beliefs</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acting too cool for an umbrella</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Green Tortoise</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bus tunnels</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Olympic National Park</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">People who can drive</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Food that's horrible for you</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Breaking the Seattle Ice</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having a Frys</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Strolling Pike &amp; Pine</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Randomly meeting people in town</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Living in a small city with a big city feel</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fresh seafood</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alaskans</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Underground Tour</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Following speed limits</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parallel parking</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanksgiving bar hopping</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indie music</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Midwest town with a west coast feel</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Punks</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Candycane stop signs</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Street art at Tubs</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Houses in the hills</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The one Polish restaurant</span></li><li class="gZ8Cy"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Green and muddy trails</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whew! &nbsp;I think that about does it, and it's not even a year in haha. &nbsp;It's a great place, and sadly Seattle often keeps me too busy to blog BUT I promise to write an update at some point.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The quarter's almost over and that means the Bay Area is next, followed by my internship. &nbsp;I can't wait! &nbsp;I'll see y'all down there and to my readers, stay classy 8-)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">-StM</span></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0Ballard, Seattle, WA, USA47.6686777 -122.3821325999999847.6414282 -122.40818359999997 47.695927200000007 -122.35608159999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-45881606674646799502011-09-26T16:39:00.000-07:002011-09-26T20:52:07.381-07:00Things I Love About Road TripsHi again!<br /><br />I wanted to make a separate post for this, because it definitely deserves it. &nbsp;Here's a short list of things I &lt;3 about road trips, c/o my coast trip. &nbsp;Enjoy :-)<br /><br /><ul><li>Not using a GPS</li><li>'End Speed Limit' signs</li><li>Alternate routes and detours</li><li>Lighthouses</li><li>Tourist traps</li><li>Towns that only consist of a street corner</li><li>Foggy, cool mornings</li><li>An empty road</li><li>Seeing old friends and making new ones</li><li>Quiet places to read</li><li>Random in-car dance parties</li><li>Not being asked for ID</li><li>Chatty waiters/waitresses</li><li>People pumping your gas (I know, I'm surprised I liked it too!)</li><li>Driving stick on windy, curvy roads</li><li>Road signs in other states</li><li>Awesome hole-in-the-wall restaurants</li><li>Cool bridges (read: engineer)</li><li>Silence</li><li>Feeling insignificant (an all-time fav of mine)</li><li>Festivals</li><li>Free continental breakfasts</li><li>Wi-Fi in the middle of nowhere</li></ul><div>There you have it, my list from the trip. &nbsp;I'm sure I have tons more I could add, but this is what I thought of as I traveled the coast.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div>-StM</div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-58884033464093813092011-09-26T16:31:00.000-07:002011-09-26T20:51:51.489-07:00The Most Northwestern Bathroom in the USSorry guys, kinda got swept up with this whole Seattle thing that I totally forgot to write up my second half of my trip! &nbsp;Well, now there's a bit of a lull before all the craziness begins Wednesday, so let's sit down here and have a chat.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eFNXlppSLxA/ToEJDAtCV_I/AAAAAAAAEbM/9C0OT2a03FY/s1600/P1060252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eFNXlppSLxA/ToEJDAtCV_I/AAAAAAAAEbM/9C0OT2a03FY/s320/P1060252.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />The title is only one of the many random things on the way from Oregon into Washington along the coast. &nbsp;As I got farther along, I realized I sped up a little bit each day, eager to make it to Seattle. &nbsp;Although that's the case, I'm happy to say that I think I've covered most of the western coastline, at least for now :-) &nbsp;Okay, so here we go!<br /><br />Day 4: Lincoln City, OR to Portland, OR<br /><br /><ul><li>Got up early and before I knew it, I had crossed the 45th parallel. &nbsp;The tiny sign came up so quickly that I missed it and turned around for a quick blurrycam pic.</li><li>Stopped at my first Oregon gas station. &nbsp;MAN it's weird having someone pump your gas. &nbsp;At least I got out and did my own windows :-P</li><li>Took the 3 capes loop off of 101. &nbsp;A bit foggy, but it was a pleasant drive; it reminded me a lot of a resort town near Traverse City or something, lots of wooden condos hidden in the woods. &nbsp;Unfortunately, the road was closed to the Cape Meares&nbsp;Lighthouse, but I just took the detour for fun.</li><li>Drove into Tillamook and got my cheese fix. &nbsp;A very cool, *free* factory tour. &nbsp;I even bought a few random gifts for the old SLO roomies (hope you guys enjoyed the poop paper lol!)</li><li>After stopping here and there for some coast pics, I drove into the packed vacation town of Cannon Beach. &nbsp;It was nice to start seeing more WA plates, made me feel at home. &nbsp;I grabbed a quick lunch and did some reading in the bustling little town.</li><li>Stopped by Ecola SP to see this grand view of the coast my book talked up, but I pulled a U-turn after I found out it was $5 to see a fogged out coastline.</li><li>Jumped on the road to Portland, where I got stuck for an hour in a crazy traffic jam. &nbsp;Hell, I turned off my car 3 times and friggin' READ while I waited. &nbsp;Good thing I had nowhere to be lol.</li><li>Made it to Portland, woo! &nbsp;Hung out with Carrie at her new digs and talked over tea and vegan curry. &nbsp;We spent the night roaming the streets seeing the funkiness that's Stumptown, stopping to grab a huge waffle cone from the food trucks parked in a lot in her neighborhood before heading to the park. &nbsp;We talked about our new lives (she just moved from SC) and I even got to meet her gf and learn about "vegan rollerskates" lol. &nbsp;Thanks again Carrie for putting me up for the night!</li></ul><div>I'm excited for Seattle, but I'm also so happy Portland is so close. &nbsp;I mean, it's about a 3 hour drive or a 3 1/2 hour train ride for $60. &nbsp;I can't wait to head back! &nbsp;See you guys in October 8-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 5: Portland, OR to Astoria, OR<br /><br /></div><div><ul><li>Hung out with Carrie and Sarah all morning. &nbsp;Grabbed a vegan lunch in Belmont before heading back up US-26 to the coast. &nbsp;Don't worry, I'll be back :-)</li><li>Walked around Seaside for a bit, though it was a bit cloudy for a day at a beach town.</li><li>Headed up to see Fort Stevens, but there was a crazy accident involving a school bus blocking the way. &nbsp;Found a detour around it and eventually saw a really cool bunker, the only place in the continental US bombed during WWII</li><li>Fort Clatsop (endpoint of Lewis + Clark) was closing at 5 p.m. so I headed into Astoria. &nbsp;MAN it's annoying how stuff closes early, but oh well lol</li><li>Walked along the RR tracks in Astoria for a loooong time, taking bridge pics before realizing I went the wrong way lol.</li><li>Went up the Astoria Column, which has an AWESOME view of the rivers and the ocean. &nbsp;Lots of stairs though haha.</li><li>Drove to my motel (complete with an awesome view of the Columbia and the bridge to WA) and then to a good seafood dinner. &nbsp;I was amazed how chatty people were, both the gas attendant (admiring my bike) and the waiter at dinner. &nbsp;It was nice to chat with some folks.</li></ul>I may not have gotten far that day, but it was a ton of fun! &nbsp;Now I was really getting anxious to hit WA, so the next day I vowed to push it and get far...and I did :-)<br /><br />Day 6: Astoria, OR to Port Angeles, WA<br /><br /></div><div><ul><li>After admiring the view from my motel a bit, I stopped back at Fort Clatsop to snoop around before grabbing Starbucks and driving over the bridge. &nbsp;Washington at last!</li><li>I tried to go to the North Head Lighthouse, but the pay-to-park thing was $10 and I only had a $20. &nbsp;I didn't feel like breaking the honor system and I had seen enough lighthouses, so I skipped it.</li><li>Went to Long Beach, admired the random stuff in the Free Museum (complete with crocodile man!) along with the world's largest frying pan and a reconstructed whale skeleton.</li><li>Sped through Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor, Lake Quinault and Kalaloch. &nbsp;Not much to see lol, towns are a bit smaller and farther in WA, which was a nice pace from OR.</li><li>Hit the Hoh River Rainforest. &nbsp;Simply amazing! &nbsp;I liked it (and Olympia National Park) so much that I bought a year pass. &nbsp;I will be back!</li><li>Took the alternate route up highway 113 and 112 to Neah Bay, the most NW point in the US. &nbsp;Yes, that's where I found the bathroom lol (as pictured), though I never found the running fish statue :-/</li><li>Now it was dark, but I pushed on, speeding past Lake Crescent and the rest of Olympia before getting stuck for 15 minutes at a one way road lol. &nbsp;Stupid construction...</li><li>Hit Port Angeles, where I grabbed a motel and walked to Michael's, an awesome seafood place recommended by the hotel clerk who used to work there lol.</li></ul><div>I did it, I was almost to my new home! &nbsp;The next day it was Seattle baby!</div>Day 7: Port Angeles, WA to Seattle, WA<br /><br /></div><div><ul><li>Woke up and drove up Hurricane Ridge in Olympia, even though it was fogged out on the webcam. &nbsp;I found the crazy Deception Point road, which is a curvy dirt road with no guardrails that goes for 8 miles. &nbsp;I thought I had the balls to do it, but apparently not...especially in the fog lol</li><li>Hiked really quickly on the ridge and took some pictures of deer before heading back down and speeding towards Seattle, burned out and ready to be done.</li><li>Skipped Sequim and Dunguness and went straight to Port Townsend, which has a ton of cool shops and restaurants. &nbsp;Again, I was a bit anxious to be done, so I definitely will be back, although I did find some cool bike shops along with a good lunch.</li><li>Excited, I drove to the&nbsp;Bremerton Ferry and sailed into Seattle!</li></ul><div>Woo! &nbsp;I had made it; after about a week, as I expected; I was at my new home. &nbsp;The route was quite impressive; be sure to check it out:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://g.co/maps/bb69r">http://g.co/maps/bb69r</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I drove straight to my new house, where I have been ever since, exploring my new surroundings. &nbsp;So far, it's been about a week and a half and I love the weather and the city! &nbsp;We'll see about school...it's starting Wednesday haha.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Be sure to stay tuned, I will be keeping my blog more up-to-date now that the craziness of getting moved in and settled has calmed down, I promise. &nbsp;After all, I need a break from the grad work once and a while, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>I leave you from my spot in a cozy coffee shop, soon to write again.</div><div><br /></div><div>Until next time!</div><div><br /></div><div>-StM</div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-11360409819099526012011-09-10T22:48:00.000-07:002011-09-26T20:53:43.074-07:00From Bay Area to Bay Area and Beyond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-99Hfg9oWyGE/TmxI7FxLnkI/AAAAAAAAEYc/5TGqmjUkpGY/s1600/P1050822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-99Hfg9oWyGE/TmxI7FxLnkI/AAAAAAAAEYc/5TGqmjUkpGY/s320/P1050822.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Well folks, it's three days into my PCH trip and if y'all been watching my Facebook then I'm sure you're all up to date with where I'm at on my trip in terms of pics. &nbsp;However, that's only part of the story. &nbsp;Here's a quick update on the past three days:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-um-MzZszdsU/TmxLZqkTMWI/AAAAAAAAEYg/TOa3j9OKGLI/s1600/day123.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-um-MzZszdsU/TmxLZqkTMWI/AAAAAAAAEYg/TOa3j9OKGLI/s320/day123.png" width="197" /></a></div><br /><br />Day 1: San Jose, CA to Eureka, CA<br /><br /><ul><li>Tripled checked everything in SJ after my rough night out with the HGST peeps Tuesday (thanks again guys lol!) and sent off the packing cube.</li><li>Ate one last meal at our hole-in-the-wall, The Breakfast Place, before taking off at 10 a.m.</li><li>Made my way out of the Bay, listening to all my fav radio stations as I cruised up 280, across the GG Bridge and up 101.</li><li>Stopped at a deli-mart in Ukiah for lunch where it was friggin 95 degrees! &nbsp;Ugh, it was like that most of the way up to the PCH. &nbsp;The cooler weather couldn't come sooner!</li><li>Hit the redwoods and tourist traps galore! &nbsp;Checked out the One Log House and Drive Thru Tree (where I had to take my bikes off to fit and then scratched my mirror on the tree, oops!)</li><li>Cruised the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt State Park. &nbsp;Wow. &nbsp;I was a little freaked out b/c I was low on gas, but I still had fun hiking the Founders Grove and learning about Dyerville, which&nbsp;apparently&nbsp;was totally wiped out from earthquakes and floods.</li><li>Checked out Scotia, the last company town in CA, followed by Ferndale, a tiny dairy town off the track from 101. &nbsp;It was a cool place, but like all towns, it was shut up by 6 o'clock.</li><li>Fogged rolled in and temps dropped into the 60s as I rolled into Eureka, yay! &nbsp;Found a motel and ate at a local brewery, although I still didn't really feel like beer lol. &nbsp;Surprised by how large a town it was.</li></ul><div>Most of this day was mileage since I was trying to get to where I left off on the PCH at Leggett, so I covered about 325 miles!</div><div><br /></div><br />Day 2: Eureka, CA to Gold Beach, OR<br /><br /><ul><li>Everything was closed in Eureka until 10, so I wondered over to Samoa looking for some lighthouse ruins, got lost in the fog for a bit, then finally drove up to Arcata to bum around Humboldt State like a student. &nbsp;Seems to be a big environment/forestry focus, props to that!</li><li>Cruised the town of Arcata, looking at books and antiques before grabbing food at the co-op. &nbsp;Someone almost hit me with their car and surprisingly stopped and said "Sorry". &nbsp;Man, people are nice up here, AND they drive at or below the speed limit! &nbsp;I'll have to re-learn how to drive lol.</li><li>Headed to Trinidad where I checked out the lighthouse and beach trail with a TON of stairs.</li><li>Drove through Redwood National Park and St. Patrick's Park searching for Elk on the alternate route. &nbsp;Didn't find any :-(</li><li>Popped into the Trees of Mystery tourist trap. &nbsp;Probably not worth $14, but definitely cool to see, especially with the talking giant Paul Bunyan lol. &nbsp;The skyway tram freaked me out a bit; it comes to a complete stop everytime a car is loaded/unloaded, so you're just stopped, hanging over the forest. &nbsp;Nice view though.</li><li>Hiked in Jedidiah Smith Park for about an hour. &nbsp;The road in was crazy in itself. &nbsp;A nice, bumpy one-lane dirt road. &nbsp;Absolutely quiet; it's just you and the giant redwoods out there, very relaxing and peaceful.</li><li>Blew through Crescent city and then grabbed gas right at the border. &nbsp;I like pumping my own gas :-P</li><li>Oregon! &nbsp;Drove through the SW coast through towns like Brookings, taking pics every once and a while.</li><li>Stopped in Gold Beach and debated going to Bandon, but after struggling to get an answer from people up there I gave up and stayed in GB at a nice motel (thx AAA!)</li><li>Ate at a pricier seafood place called Spinners, watching the sunset while drinking wine and eating crab cakes lol. &nbsp;Of course, I had a 15% off coupon :-)</li></ul><div>Covered a lot less that day (~125 mi), but there was a lot more to see, and I was already on the coast highway. &nbsp;Still wondering, do you tip the gas attendants in OR? &nbsp;Based on what I've read, I guess not. Just feels weird... &nbsp;Oh, and my motel manager used the term "pop" for soda. &nbsp;Strange lol. &nbsp;But hey, things are SO much cheaper, I can't complain!</div><div><br /></div><br />Day 3: Gold Beach, OR to Lincoln City, OR<br /><br /><ul><li>Started off at the Prehistoric Gardens looking at concrete dinosaurs. &nbsp;Blake, you'd be in heaven!</li><li>Ran into a parade and the Cranberry Festival blocking 101 in Bandon. &nbsp;Bummed around for a bit looking at the fair and the shops. &nbsp;Lots of free chocolate samples at the Cranberry Sweets &amp; More shop.</li><li>Marveled at the huge piles of woodchips and logs in Coos Bay, labeled strangely as "Oregon's Bay Area"</li><li>Passed by the dunes, lots of opportunities for ATVing</li><li>Grabbed some good pie in Reedsport at Don's.</li><li>Paid $10 at the Sea Lion Caves to see nothing, although I got several good shots of the Heceta Head Lighthouse, which was closed for construction.</li><li>Hiked on the top of Cape Perpetua to take some pics, although a longer hike would've been nice.</li><li>Skipped Newport and went searching for the Otter Crest Loop for biking as suggested in my guidebook. &nbsp;Found a 3 mile stretch of old 101 with no view leading to Cape Foulweather, so I just drove it and took pics. &nbsp;Later that night, I found the stretch my book mentioned to bike. &nbsp;Oh well, can't do it all!</li><li>Went back to Newport and walked up and down the main port area. &nbsp;I still wasn't hungry, so I took the short journey up to Lincoln City where I checked in (luckily I reserved early for Saturday!)</li><li>Got some Thai after wandering around for a bit.</li><li>Back to my plush room to blog away :-)</li></ul><div>Today was about 200 miles, not bad for one day, although it was a lot more rushed. &nbsp;There weren't as many good things to see today unless I had planned a bunch of stops for hikes, etc. &nbsp;I've noticed that although I don't have endpoints planned, I stress when I try to do one of the hiking/biking things on my "Things To Do" list, because it takes time, and a lot of the time it's already evening when I get there. &nbsp;For future legs, I think I might drop those unless I have extra time and they're in the morning.</div><div><br /></div><div>I flew through lots of Oregon coastal towns and parks, including Yachats, Waldport and Depoe Bay. &nbsp;It was all beautiful, but after a while I had my fill, and there are just SO many (about one every 10-20 miles lol). &nbsp;I could be on this trip forever, and although I need to chill out and keep my pace, I really don't want to be out more than a week. &nbsp;I wanna see my new home (and Tami and &nbsp;Alex :-) )</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow is a quick alternate route before sampling cheese in Tillamook and then it's off to Portland to visit Carrie and Sarah. &nbsp;I can't wait! &nbsp;Afterwords, Monday looks like I "may" make it into Washington, on time for my one week trip, although there may be another day in there give or take. &nbsp;We will see.</div><div><br /></div><div>Until next time!</div><div><br /></div><div>-StM</div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-64272813722903842872011-09-08T09:38:00.000-07:002011-09-26T20:53:53.347-07:00My Six Year Vacation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wjc1zCmpehY/Tl_KI1Cs_oI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/TjKUaMCcAyo/s1600/183575_831183918665_6412385_44596761_5114599_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wjc1zCmpehY/Tl_KI1Cs_oI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/TjKUaMCcAyo/s320/183575_831183918665_6412385_44596761_5114599_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Well it's about that time, eh <a href="http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end">chaps</a>?<br /><br />Nearly six years ago, I sat in a crammed van with my parents driving my entire life 3,000 miles west across I-80 from Michigan to California. All I remember thinking was, what the hell am I doing? After living my whole life in Grosse Pointe, I decided I wanted to move as far away as possible from GP for college. And so I did...alllll the way to California. <br /><br />So now it's six years later, and I'm readying my exodus from The Golden State, packing a shipping cube and driving to my new life in Seattle. How's Cali treated me? Well, it has been quite an experience and that's what I wanted to chat about today.<br /><br />California has definitely changed me. I went west a quiet, shy, unadventurous computer geek and came back an outgoing engineer (who's still a geek lol) that loves to bike, hike, volunteer and explore the world.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9CvVV9-1zM/TmA4dB7E4WI/AAAAAAAAEXw/JBI8JLpsBUg/s1600/100_0413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9CvVV9-1zM/TmA4dB7E4WI/AAAAAAAAEXw/JBI8JLpsBUg/s320/100_0413.jpg" width="190" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KIPZB1J-sZU/TmA4GCF4IiI/AAAAAAAAEXs/tLwHfhdyEWM/s1600/IMG_2869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KIPZB1J-sZU/TmA4GCF4IiI/AAAAAAAAEXs/tLwHfhdyEWM/s320/IMG_2869.JPG" width="137" /></a></div><br />Who the hell is this guy? And what's with the long hair? I'd never in a million years guess I would've changed this much, but I'm very thankful for it and for the most part have CA to thank for it. So what do I have to say about California? A lot. <br /><br />My four years at Cal Poly alone changed me drastically. The California culture melded with my midwestern charm, creating a weird hybrid that is my personality. I spent the first two years being told I had an accent, and now I can hear the difference between my voice and my mom's when she says "box". I learned about the civil war brewing between the North and the South (sections of California, that is) and how ridiculous it sounded. Now, I'm a true NorCal kinda guy (sry Brian, I'm a Norkie :-P) and I've loved it! Oh, and In-N-Out is awesome (props to Mike for rushing me up to A-Town ASAP when he found out I never tried one) and I will definitely miss it in Seattle. &nbsp;Maybe&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ddir.com/">Dick's</a>&nbsp;can take its place?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQ99UNBjoGk/TmA17ZiC5mI/AAAAAAAAEXY/M8i5NAZA8Xs/s1600/img_2862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQ99UNBjoGk/TmA17ZiC5mI/AAAAAAAAEXY/M8i5NAZA8Xs/s320/img_2862.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />To all my Poly friends: you're awesome, I wish you the best, and be sure to keep in touch!<br /><br />Let me say that this state has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. The parks are gorgeous, and I've thuroughly enjoyed hiking through them. Yosemite was probably the most beautiful park I've ever been to, and it was only three hours from my house! Heck, just having sun all the time has been nice, although I do get bored of it sometimes lol. I'm not a beach goer, so it's not as big a deal to me, but it's a plus. Roadtripping has been a blast too.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3EeMKr9qGA/Tl_Je195OaI/AAAAAAAAEW8/X-hbJpICFog/s1600/n6415312_32281151_6713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3EeMKr9qGA/Tl_Je195OaI/AAAAAAAAEW8/X-hbJpICFog/s320/n6415312_32281151_6713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Driving up the PCH, cruising through the redwoods, and even battling traffic in LA, they have all been experiences. I've explored cities from Leggett to Laguna Beach and a few more on top of that. I've covered a lot, but I'm not sure if I could ever cover it all lol. <br /><br />The people are also extremely friendly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ztx3dwrQgJY/TmA5vEWANQI/AAAAAAAAEX0/VJ1u3M3SEt8/s1600/205451_521333925535_6413831_30008230_5075_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ztx3dwrQgJY/TmA5vEWANQI/AAAAAAAAEX0/VJ1u3M3SEt8/s320/205451_521333925535_6413831_30008230_5075_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Strange at times (sorry guys!), but friendly. I think it has something to do with all that sun, it makes people always smile. It's true what they say about long Michigan winters, they can kinda get you in the dumps when it's cloudy for days on end. Everybody I've met has always said "Hello" and given me help when needed. Two weeks ago, I fell off my bike at a red light (it happens) and a guy in a truck next to me asked if I needed help. <br /><br />Going from the fattest city in America to probably one of the healthiest spots was also a switch. Of course, I've always been one of those skinny guys that everybody hates because I can eat whatever I want, but still. It's nice to see people exercising and trying to eat right. I know I've definitely started exercising more and eating better since moving here; it's infectious. I'm sure the weather has something to do with it too; those winter months in MI can be tough. Shoot, I bike 30 miles roundtrip to work now, that's nuts!&nbsp;I've always been a biker, but even when I started small with my 5 mile ride to Poly I thought I was crazy. Now it's like no big deal.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz8Rqd6R4sQ/Tl_JzeCoGYI/AAAAAAAAEXI/ZTjSv8vDqgk/s1600/n6412385_35907724_5274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vz8Rqd6R4sQ/Tl_JzeCoGYI/AAAAAAAAEXI/ZTjSv8vDqgk/s320/n6412385_35907724_5274.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />One of the biggest impacts of California on my life has been its dedication to sustainability and the environment. I have both the state and <a href="http://sustainability-and-ics.pbworks.com/w/page/10825609/FrontPage">Braun</a> to thank for getting me more into “bring green” and I am forever grateful. I hope I can continue to make an impact in the Evergreen State with my research, my career, and my everyday life. I wouldn't go as far to say I've become a hippie (I think they'd be offended). Rather, I've become more environmentally conscious, one who believes in little changes that are needed to make a big difference in protecting our planet.<br /><br />So why move away? It all sounds so great. Well, like I said, it's been a vacation. I mean, going to California or Florida or South Carolina was always a real treat as a kid. Even though I've lived here six damn years, I still don't call myself a Californian. When people ask, "Where are you from?" I always say, "Oh, well I'm originally from Detroit and now I live here in California." It took me a while to figure out why I do this. Why I have never truely adopted this state as my home. Like a vacation, it's great at first, relaxing, a new adventure. However, after a good stay there (in my case, probably around the 5 year mark), I'm ready to ship out. Now, I'm not saying I want to move back home to the D (don't worry mom and dad), but I'm ready to continue trying new things and searching for my home. <br /><br />I'm tired; that's all there is to it. California is a crazy place, and after six years of trying to fit in, I need a vacation (at my new home haha), at least that's how I see it. The traffic everywhere, and some of the drivers, man! They're called blinkers people! And don't even get me started on the people merging across four lanes and exiting lol. I love being liberal, but all the antics in the state government get a little ridiculous and everytime I check the paper, we're out of money. I've never been into politics, but I mean come on, an IOU for my tax refund, really? People are nice, but it's hard to nail many of them down. We live the land where “people are flakes” as my good friend puts it. That's not very pleasant if you're an <a href="http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ.html">ISTJ</a> like me haha. <br /><br />I'll be honest: most of this I can deal with. Hell, I'm sure I'll run into this sorta stuff wherever I live. However, based on six years of solid research as a guy, I'm pretty sure I'd never meet someone in CA. I'll admit it, I'm a bit rough with signals, flirting, relationships, dating, etc, no question. But, I have yet to meet someone I think I could be in a stable relationship with. Well, there's been a few girls, but usually they're already in relationships, and I'm sorry, but I'm not the type of guy to go around splitting up couples. Many people have background stories and drama I just rather not deal with. I'd like to meet someone who listens, someone who is willing to put forth the effort to make things work. Sounds weird coming from a guy huh? Well, believe me, I've run into plenty of situations where I'm stuck trying to make things work and I'm tired of it; if that's your game, “Check, please!” <br /><br />Those who know me know that I've never really been into the whole online dating thing. I'm not boycotting it or anything, I've always wanted to meet someone the old fashioned way. Well, I've changed my mind. If I don't meet anyone during grad school, and who knows what will happen up there, then I promise I will try online dating. That's my pact, you all have it in writing. I'm not really hot to trot on the whole dating/relationship thing; I love being a lone ranger. I just figured I'm so sluggish that I might as well force myself to get the ball rolling lol and put it in the plan. <br /><br />There you have it, that is major force driving out of the state; that's what might keep me from coming back. California is an awesome place to be young and on the go, but I think for my future's sake, another state might be a better fit for me. Yes, I'm still young and yes I'm still exploring, but I can see the writing on the wall and I think it's time to leave and keep looking. <br /><br />My past two years in San Jose have only reenforced my desire to leave. Although it's probably a much better fit than the craziness of SF, the sprawling family towns of Silicon Valley are not the best match for me. I love the variety of food and culture in the South Bay, not to mention the easy access to hiking/biking and all the latest tech I could want. It's the little things: sitting in lines of traffic, dragging my ass up to the city to have fun, getting honked at and swiped by drivers on my bike, staring at the orange street lights that paint the streets an eerie color at night. Not to mention that “Man Jose” isn't helping my odds either.<br /><br />I moved back to SJ to work at Hitachi, and although I will forever be thankful to Steve and Roger for getting me the job when the economy tanked, I have to admit that it wasn't the best fit for me and I'm ready to move on. I will miss the SoC team, along with trips to the Korean BBQ, Juicy Burger, Chavez Super, and even the fun club (the snack room for all ur non-HGSTers, nothing shady lol). No, I'm not probably cut out for a startup writing apps or software, but maybe a smaller company, one that is working on something that I am passionate about, like the environment or volunteer work... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iwz290h9vNw/Tl_J_M4sWAI/AAAAAAAAEXM/UKEuXaZ7A1E/s1600/131426_155742101141056_132971923418074_284651_44742_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iwz290h9vNw/Tl_J_M4sWAI/AAAAAAAAEXM/UKEuXaZ7A1E/s320/131426_155742101141056_132971923418074_284651_44742_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ah, <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Silicon-Valley-Volunteers/">SVV</a>, that has been my one saving grace in San Jose. Volunteering with Avni, Aravind, Denise, Jose, Lesley, Melisa, Michelle, Shailendra and all the volunteers has been a blast and I thank you guys! I was getting a bit stir-crazy in SJ by early 2010 and thank God I found our Meetup group. It's been so much fun working with so many great people doing something that before that point, I had almost no experience with. I'm totally honest when I say I will miss you all and I hope to start up a new volunteer Meetup in Seattle. Volunteering has been an eye-opening experience and I hope to continue helping those who have needs. Oh, and I'll totally be Skyping SVV meetings when I can :-) <br /><br />So Seattle...what's up with that? Well, I've visited only twice, but both times I loved it. Touring was a blast, the city reminds me a lot more of back east. However, the hills give it a bit of a SF feel, which is great because I've always wanted to live in SF, although I realize now that I'm probably not cut out for it. Crusing the neighborhoods, I got a real feel for the city, and I liked what I saw. Not to mention UW is an awesome school. There's a view of Mt. Rainer from the quad right next to the EE building. Crazy! Oh, and no surprise, but everything (food, transit, houses, etc...) is so cheap compared to Cali. I loved the real estate agents I called: <br /><br />Agent: “Well sir, now rentals in the city [Seattle] are a bit pricier than the rest...” <br />Me: “I'm from California.” <br />Agent: “Oh! Well no problem then, you'll love the cheaper rents!” <br /><br />“Do you know it rains in Seattle?” YES, and I'm looking forward to it haha. For the record, it doesn't rain as much as people say it does. Sunny all 5 days last March when I went. Weather in CA is boring; too much sun, if that's possible. I miss seasons, snow, and even tornados. No, I'm not crazy, I just like a little variety. It does rain more often and there's a (small) possibility that it will even snow. Of course, SEA shuts down when it snows, but so does SoCal when it rains lol. It's also much greener; the brown, grassy eastern foothills of the Bay are not my fav. &nbsp;This might affect my exercising a (tiny) bit, but that's what the <a href="http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=10053&amp;catalogId=10052&amp;langId=-1&amp;pageSize=16&amp;beginIndex=0&amp;searchType=resultSet&amp;sortBy=Dollar+Rank%2F%2F1&amp;cn1=&amp;gast=nb-r3&amp;searchTerm=nb-r3">rollers</a> are for :-)<br /><br />Seattle also seems to be with it when it comes to many of the things I love about California. They're friendly, healthy, liberal, and green. Not to mention all the opportunities for biking and hiking, I can't wait! I'm all about the west coast lifestyle, but I figured it's time to try moving a little north and checking out the PacNW. I've spent the past two years getting into the whole coffee shop thing too (fine, Chai tea) so I can't wait to check out all the indie places Seattle has to offer. There probably aren't as many awesome sandwich shops as the Bay, but hey, at least they have Jimmy Johns lol! Sure, the Frys is now 30 minutes away instead of five, but I can deal. Oh, and I guess I'll need to take up listening to grunge too :-P <br /><br />Grad school has always been on the periphery of my mind since graduating in '09. I applied for three years straight, and finally I made the call this year. That and my GRE was about to expire. My goal has always been a masters. Yes, I am an academic (insert Tami laughing about my GPA here) and I'm sure I could be a PhD student, but I think I'm cut out more for the working world. I am excited to teach and do research, and who knows, the option's always there, maybe someday I could be Dr. Staniszewski (God, that would be weird!) For now, however, I am sticking to my two years of graduate work and we'll see how it goes from there. <br /><br />My one regret about undergrad was not cutting back on the studying to go nuts once and a while in the <a href="http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/story/2011/04/San-Luis-Obispo-Its-the-happiest-place-in-the-USA-/45900412/1">"Happiest Place in America"</a>. Too much time spent behind a book and not enough exploring and being a college student. That's why I have vowed to not revert to my bookworm self when I go to UW. I hope to have a lot of fun in grad school, both learning things and researching fields I'm actually interested in (rather than doing busywork) and I hope to have a good time in Seattle while doing it. I'm sure I'll be swamped with work, but I hope it's work I'll enjoy and that I can take with me to a coffee shop (there's only <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071004194327AA3UJsn">10,000 or so</a> of those in Seattle lol) Tami, I'm counting on you to help me out! <br /><br />So...after grad school, what's next? Oh, who knows lol. I'm using grad school as a two year trial period in Washington. All my residency stuff will still be California. &nbsp;Afterwords, I need to make a call, and so far I'm riding on 3 separate plans (after all, I'm Stan the Man with the Master Plan :-) Either: <br /><br />1) Stay in Seattle <br />2) Move back to the Bay Area <br />3)&nbsp;Move back to Detroit <br /><br />Both 1) and 2) are in the realm of possiblity, although I have to muster up the strength to put my effort into making 2) work again. This time round, I'd live anywhere but SJ, most likely north of Mountain View. Peninsula? SF? Marin? I don't know, but I will not live in San Jose again. <br /><br />Yea 3) is a little out there, but I'm considering it. Of course, there still aren't any jobs really for me in Motown. If I moved back to Detroit, I'd definitely start up my own business, maybe in downtown somewhere in the shell of a former auto factory. The incentives are there, the labor is there. All I need is an idea. And in order for that to happen I need time. Hmm...time, where the hell will I find that haha? I don't know, I hope to come up with some cool new cleantech idea that I could work on from the D. Shoot, maybe it won't even be related to engineering. There's a lot of people moving into downtown and I'd think it'd be badass (to use my new catchphrase) to be a part of the revitalization of the city. <br /><br />What's in the future plan? Well, of course like most people, I'd like to be able to live comfortably someday and meet someone. I don't want to be rich; I just want to be happy. I'm definitely not ready to settle for a while, but I do want a house someday, you know, to putz around with? I stood in Home Depot a week ago watching all the happy couples buying stuff for their DIY projects. Is it weird that I want a place to mess with more than a girlfriend? I like to mess with stuff, that's how I am. This all comes after my barage of traveling and then finding a place to stay of course. Maybe that city is Seattle...I don't know. All I know is that right now I want to travel as much as I can and I will find my city someday. &nbsp;In the meantime, I'll keep running on hope. <br /><br />I do feel bad about moving away because I have met so many wonderful people. <br /><br />[Insert friends list here] <br /><br />I feel like with leaving Michigan, once I meet good friends, I seem to run away. Granted, I've only done a big move like this once before, but still, I basically uprooted myself, and although I had a blast and met all sorts of new people and ran into many new situations, it was hard to let everyone in Michigan go. Why would I have to do that? I didn't, you're right, and I don't need to do it when I leave California either. I'm just reallllllly BAD at keeping in touch. I know it. You know it. The world knows it. So please, all my Cali friends (along w/ everyone not living in Seattle lol), make sure I keep in touch. Harass me, email me, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/stantheman286">fb</a> me, Skype me, I don't care, just make sure I stay on the ball. I know I tend to do it, and I'll try my best to not fall back on old habits, but I could use your help. I'd love to hear from ya at all hours! <br /><br />To everyone, I wish you the best of luck in all your adventures. Keep safe, have a good time, try new things. I'll keep you posted as I meander 1,200 miles up the west coast and on life in the Emerald City. Drop me a note, stop on by and keep on reading... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nO_I9-fJm9k/Tl_JK80uw-I/AAAAAAAAEWw/wyX8Nw3HPiQ/s1600/175421_831093938985_6412385_44594750_2141644_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nO_I9-fJm9k/Tl_JK80uw-I/AAAAAAAAEWw/wyX8Nw3HPiQ/s320/175421_831093938985_6412385_44594750_2141644_o.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><br />-StM<br /><pics?></pics?><br /><roomies -="" and="" new="" old=""></roomies>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-19574895912829449792011-08-07T21:43:00.000-07:002011-08-07T21:43:47.124-07:00Being a local TouristHey everybody,<br /><br />Today I took my last really free Sunday before the crazy move to Seattle and toured SF one last time. I know, everytime I do this people ask "Why the hell do you act like a tourist?" &nbsp;I've got my reasons haha.<br /><br />Yes, tourists can be annoying, but I always find it fun to be surrounded by tons of people all speaking different languages. &nbsp;It makes me feel like I'm back in Europe. &nbsp;I even got to play tourguide, as I often do, showing a group of people the way to Ghirardelli Square. &nbsp;I guess it must be my determination when I'm walking from place to place.<br /><br />So where did I go? &nbsp;Well I had a bunch of Clipper credit to burn, so I took BART to the Ferry Building and then from there I boarded the ferry to Sausalito to peruse the galleries and grab a good sandwich. I even bought one of those cool welded metal sculptures of a road bike. &nbsp;The pedals even work, so cool!<br /><br />Next up, I got back on the ferry to the city and then walked the Embarcadero to Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. After grabbing my free chocolate, I walked down Columbus into North Beach where I sat in Washington Square and attempted to read a book on my new toy, my HP Touchpad (more on that later)<br /><br />After trying that for a bit, I stopped for a nice dinner at Calzone's at Rob's recommendation before strolling back through Chinatown and Union Square on to BART.<br /><br />So that's my story. &nbsp;Now that I think about it, I've always felt like a tourist in SF and I don't know if that would ever change. &nbsp;I've thought about living there, but now I'm not sure if I'll come back to the Bay. &nbsp;Let's just say its a maybe. &nbsp;I got a whole long post on Cali coming up, so just stay tuned.<br /><br />I've missed all of you guys. &nbsp;With all the housing craziness and my book, I let my readers down. &nbsp;I will try and be more up to date, but no promises. &nbsp;It's gonna get busy here in a bit. &nbsp;I do enjoy writing though, so I will make time! :)<br /><br />Oh, and I have lots of posts waiting in the wings, so don't you worry! &nbsp;Not that you care haha. &nbsp;I just wrote this (relatively short) post on my Touchpad...I think I might try and take the "tablet challenge" and try to use jt for a week. &nbsp;I'll report back with a full review later. &nbsp;So far I've learned I need more apps, an anti-glare filter, and to not try typing this much again lol, too many mistakes!<br /><br />Until next time!<br /><br />-StM<br /><br />Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-90805014215193949882011-06-26T21:20:00.000-07:002011-06-26T22:12:39.422-07:00When Talking Green, It's the Little Things..."Being Green" is a term that has been thrown around a lot in the past few years. &nbsp;I tend to agree with <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/green-marketing-is-over-lets-move-on.php">TreeHugger</a>&nbsp;that the green marketing campaign, while a great catalyst for getting people to be more environmentally responsible, is starting to overshadow the true message of what it is to actually "be green" with clever ploys to get people to buy more expensive things that may not even really be better for the Earth. &nbsp;And people are smart; marketing really hasn't made that many people switch to become more sustainable. &nbsp;They still drive the same cars, toss everything in the trash, and hope that someone else will take care of our problems. &nbsp;Environmentalists paint a bleak picture, citing big changes that need to happen soon. &nbsp;While I agree with them, people don't like change, and telling them that they must stop driving cars, buy organic, and use less resources just scares them away from the whole idea.<br /><br />So what can I person do? &nbsp;For me, living sustainably has been a gradual process with a slight learning curve. &nbsp;I by no means am truely "green"; I think very few people can say they are. &nbsp;I do hope to someday buy everything locally, use public transit or my bike to get around everywhere, use renewable energy to power the place I live and reduce my water usage to barely nothing. &nbsp;And yes, we all do need to make drastic changes in our lives for the future of our planet. &nbsp;However, I think there's another path than instantly converting their entire lifestyle to be completely sustainable. &nbsp;How?<br /><br />Sustainability is like learning to walk; you have to start with baby steps. &nbsp;Every little thing we can do to change ourselves to be more aware of our environment helps. &nbsp;I mean, right now the US consumes 25% of the world's resources. &nbsp;Can you imagine how that would change if we just stopped using bottled water containers? Or walked to the post office box instead of driving? Or used cloth bags to shop? &nbsp;We need to teach people that by taking little steps to becoming more eco-friendly, we can have the same quality of life (or better) while reducing our footprint.<br /><br />Blah, blah, blah. &nbsp;I know I sound like I'm all rhetoric. &nbsp;I try to "walk the walk" and that's why I'm writing this post today, to show you that by doing a few simple things in your life, you CAN help make a difference. &nbsp;Sure, some of these seem a little odd and others might just seem absolutely ridiculous, but remember that you must start with the simplest things and work your way up. &nbsp;I've spent several years working up to some of these, like biking to work, and I'm sure that you'll find that as you start on your green journey, that cleaning up this place we call home is addicting, and soon you will find yourself dreaming bigger and bigger. &nbsp;This is what will get us to those lofty goals we aim to meet. &nbsp;This is what will eventually save the planet. <br /><br />Alright, enough with my sermon. &nbsp;Here are some tips from my daily life that I hope you will consider in becoming a little more "green", starting with the general "Well, DUH!" ones:<br /><br /><ul><li>Recycle. &nbsp;Seriously. &nbsp;It doesn't take that much time out of our day to toss a bottle in a different bin, so why not? &nbsp;For places like California, you can recycle SO many things too. &nbsp;Check with your local trash service to find out what can and cannot be recycled. &nbsp;True, it may be more annoying to take apart a coffee cup to separate plastic and compostibles, but I just say make a game of it. &nbsp;See how much of the stuff you used to toss you can recycle; my blue bin is always full!</li><li>Turn off the lights. &nbsp;Remember when your dad always used to say, "Turn off the lights, you're wasting electricity"? &nbsp;Well guess what, he's right. &nbsp;Turn off lights when you're not in the room, even if it's just a couple of minutes. &nbsp;During the day, we have this great thing called the Sun too; use that for light! &nbsp;</li><li>Unplug those electronics. &nbsp;How much electricity do they actually used turn off? &nbsp;Yes it's true, "Standby Power" isn't one of those huge energy-saving techniques, but a few watts here and there times millions of people, THAT is a lot. &nbsp;Unplug devices when you are gone for a long period of time; heck, unplug them anytime when you're not using them if you can. &nbsp;I know this can be a pain (I get tired of doing it), but there are devices out there that totally cut off power for you, like SmartBits Surge Protectors.</li><li>Use rechargeable batteries. &nbsp;That way, you don't have to keep buying batteries, which costs a lot of $ over time AND you won't be tossing as many out (that's IF you can't dispose of them properly) &nbsp;I just switched to them and it's awesome. &nbsp;I always have batteries and no more piles of dead ones. &nbsp;The cost is a little higher getting started, but it's worth it.</li><li>European or sailor showers. &nbsp;This one is kind of a foreign concept (hah, get it?) to us in the US, but it does save a ton of water. &nbsp;When showering, use the water only to lather up and rinse off; turn it off in-between &nbsp;Believe me, it does just as good a job and saves gallons.</li><li>Reusable bags. &nbsp;At first, you forget them every time you go to the store (I did like a year), but eventually you get used to them and they're great. &nbsp;No more piles of plastic or paper bags in the cupboards! &nbsp;If you can, try reusing the plastic bags you package fruit/veggies in to cut down even more or get reusable ones too.</li><li>Reuseable containers. &nbsp;They're great for all sorts of stuff. &nbsp;Water bottles. &nbsp;Lunch boxes. &nbsp;Even coffee cups. &nbsp;Using reusable containers saves a lot of waste and money too. &nbsp;Places like Starbucks even give you 10 cents off for using your own cup!</li><li>Donate and sell your stuff; it goes to a good home and is Earth-friendly. &nbsp;Hell, I've made some major money with my old stuff on Craigslist too. &nbsp;E-waste is especially bad, so sell your old gadgets, don't just toss em. &nbsp;Give clothes away to the those who need them. &nbsp;I love having less stuff packed in my room.</li><li>Try to reuse what you can't sell. &nbsp;For example, I took a page out of my mom's book and reused old undershirts as rags.</li><li>Get a reusable water bottle. &nbsp;Make sure it's a BPA-free one too; I use a Klean Kanteen, although if you're not a fan on a little (VERY little) metal taste, then I suggest one of the others. &nbsp;This will save you from buying tons of plastic water bottles that often end up in the ocean.</li><li>Cut down on the paper. &nbsp;I use a salad spinner instead of paper towel to dry fruits and vegetables, and it's awesome! &nbsp;In the bathroom, flick off the water on your hands before grabbing the paper towel; you can probably do with just a small piece rather than stealing half the roll. &nbsp;Use technology in place of paper; read PDFs instead of printing them, use your phone to look at a map or show a coupon to the store owner. &nbsp;Paper is dead, get with the future man&nbsp;:-P</li><li>Cleaner transit. &nbsp;This one has been a big item for me. &nbsp;Either using public transit or your own two feet can greatly cut down on pollution. &nbsp;I bike 30 miles roundtrip to work 3 days a week. &nbsp;I'm not asking you to do that, but try and find an alternative to your car. &nbsp;And for those small trips to the store or the coffee shop, biking or walking it is so much more peaceful and rewarding. &nbsp;If you start out with small trips and work your way up, you'll be amazed at the distance you can cover without your car.</li></ul><div>So that's it, my two cents in all-things-green. &nbsp;I hope you consider my ideas and come up with some clever ones of your own. &nbsp;Let me know the things you do to make your lifestyle more sustainable! &nbsp;I wish you all the best of luck in becoming more eco-friendly. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We all share the Earth; let's all do our part to keep it going!</div><div><br /></div><div>-StM</div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-64287368012207420192011-05-15T21:16:00.000-07:002011-05-15T21:16:07.869-07:00A Week without Social NetworkingSo...what was it like without Facebook, Twitter, or Foursquare for a WHOLE week? &nbsp;One word: peaceful. &nbsp;I love Facebook, I really do. &nbsp;I feel that there are two types of people on Facebook: 1) Those who generate and post information (i.e. me) and 2) those who use it to "stalk" or look up info on other people (I won't post any examples, but you people know who you are! :-P). &nbsp;My problem, however, was with how distracting all these tools became. &nbsp;I was ALWAYS updating my status, ALWAYS tweeting, ALWAYS checking in wherever I was. &nbsp;It's very time-consuming, and I'm sure everybody got sick of all my "feed-vomit", if they hadn't already deleted me from their feed or de-friended me. &nbsp;You know what I mean, the endless posts, check-ins, etc, they fill people's feeds, which I'm sure wasn't appreciated by all lol.<br /><br />What did I do instead of fb/twitter/4sq? &nbsp;I was more productive at work; I rode my bike more; I friggin' FINISHED the first part of my book, all 140 pages of it! &nbsp;The week was just peaceful; I wasn't constantly being bugged by emails and posts. &nbsp;I don't really feel like I was more disconnected socially because of it; I was&nbsp;relieved&nbsp;because I wasn't always checking this stuff and wasn't stressing myself about whatever drama was happening online.<br /><br />I will admit, however, that I did miss Facebook. &nbsp;There were times when I had something to say, something to post, something I wanted to check on. &nbsp;But other than that, I didn't really care. &nbsp;I was trying to remember how I got by with only checking Facebook once and a while during college, and then I figured it out: notifications. &nbsp;FB notifies you for SO many things nowadays, it's ridiculous. &nbsp;I cannot count how many emails I get from it each day. &nbsp;It took me ten minutes just to turn off each one individually! &nbsp;Without those notifications, however, I only wanted to check it when I thought of something, which was maybe once a day, which is how often I logged in before.<br /><br />With all that said, here's my verdict. &nbsp;I'm going to become active on Facebook again, but I'm leaving all notifications off. &nbsp;That way, I'll just check it when I remember, instead of when I get harassed. &nbsp;Twitter, I'm sorry, but you're useless: DELETED. &nbsp;And Foursquare, well you do kinda make it a competition to see who gets the most check-ins each week, so I'm backing off. &nbsp;I'm going back to only using it while I'm traveling.<br /><br />That's my story and I'm sticking to it. &nbsp;Later y'all, see ya around Facebook!<br /><br />-StMMatt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-84497340144941741242011-05-14T12:26:00.000-07:002011-05-14T12:30:01.531-07:00"It's not about me. It's about you."Hey guys,<br /><br />Since I'm off Facebook/Twitter/4sq this week, I've been enjoying my peace and quiet (more on that in another post). In the meantime, I've definitely missed it for posting random things, although I'm sure people are happy I'm not dumping on their feeds this week.<br /><br />Anywho, while taking a break during my "writing day" (more on that later too), I decided "Huh, I wonder if mattstaniszewski.com is available again for me to buy?" Nope. However, I DID find this councilman's campaign site and a few articles, so I thought it'd just be fun to share!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-88QfSbir6kQ/Tc7W9LhqBZI/AAAAAAAADqA/Hkz5bq8vQWw/s1600/tempheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-88QfSbir6kQ/Tc7W9LhqBZI/AAAAAAAADqA/Hkz5bq8vQWw/s320/tempheader.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><br />Btw, a prothonary is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">defined as '<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">principal clerk of a court</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">' (Wikipedia).</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I love the the slogan haha. &nbsp;I n</span>eed to order a bunch of these signs just to have lol. &nbsp;More on the councilman's story here:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11027/1121092-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml">http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11027/1121092-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml</a>.<br /><br />That was fun writing a short post, maybe I should just put all my random stories up on my blog :-)<br /><br />Now time for lunch and then back to the novel!<br /><br />-StMMatt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-40865582560917527942011-05-08T22:40:00.000-07:002011-05-08T22:40:21.969-07:00Who has the time?I mean...seriously? &nbsp;These days, everyone always seems too busy. &nbsp;We all have a million things going on, not to mention we're constantly in touch. &nbsp;Facebook. &nbsp;Twitter. &nbsp;Fourquare. &nbsp;It all takes time out of the precious minutes we have in a day. &nbsp;And I'm definitely no exception to the rule.<br /><br />Now that we're all growed up, it seems like no one has time for anything anymore. &nbsp;Well, I guess there's one 8-hour-a-day reason I can think of: work. &nbsp;But even when people come home at night (myself included), we all start our second job: completing our to do lists. &nbsp;Now, maybe not everyone is as busy as me (more on that later), but everyone has things to do. &nbsp;Exercising. &nbsp;Reading. &nbsp;Walking the dog. &nbsp;Dating. &nbsp;There's a lot on our plates, and we do our best to do as grandma always said and "clear our plate". &nbsp;Yea, like THAT will ever happen :-)<br /><br />If I may get a little nostalgic on ya, I wonder what it would've been like growing up in, I don't know, 1911 instead? &nbsp;Yea I know, it's weird for a tech guy to be saying this, but just bear with me. &nbsp;Electricity was still in its infancy. &nbsp;No TV. &nbsp;No computers. &nbsp;No phones (well, there was the telegraph). &nbsp;Things moved slower back then, just because they didn't have the means to go faster. &nbsp;They took their time (funny word, huh?) and went about their daily lives. &nbsp;You had to actually talk to someone in person back then, wow. &nbsp;I know we still do it, but just so much less. &nbsp;People might have only known the people in their towns, but they knew them so much better than I bet I know 90% of the people on my friends list. &nbsp;We have advanced in many ways since then, but I think we may have receded in a few others. &nbsp;Friends. &nbsp;Family. &nbsp;Relationships. &nbsp;<more> These are some of the most important things in our lives, yet they require something we just don't have nowadays: time. &nbsp;</more><br /><br />Personally, I always thought there was something wrong with me when I had a moment to spare. &nbsp;A passing five minutes where maybe, just maybe, I could take a break and catch up on it all. &nbsp;However, instead of taking a moment to stop and appreciate the subtle things that surround me every day, I plugged that free time full of other activities or surfed Twitter. &nbsp;I felt guilty about having a free moment. &nbsp;After all, I must be doing something wrong if I have free time, right? &nbsp;It seems uncool to have free time, like there's something wrong with you. &nbsp;Am I supposed to be out on the prowl looking for girls when I have free time? &nbsp;Should I be writing my novel? &nbsp;Should I be biking? Gah, what the hell am I supposed to do?!<br /><br />Of course, many people that know me will say I'm busier than most people they know, and I totally agree. &nbsp;I can't tell you how many times I've told someone "I'm booked", "My calendar's full" and "Sorry, not tonight." &nbsp;Excuses after excuses, and I hate doing it. &nbsp;I've always prided myself on being punctual, and this way of life is not cutting it. &nbsp;No wonder it's so hard for me sometimes to find people to do stuff, I'm the "boy who cried busy" whenever someone approaches me with something to do. &nbsp;Shoot, my to do lists (yes plural) just continue to multiply and expand. &nbsp;Hell, do you know how many blog posts I have outlined on there? &nbsp;Four! &nbsp;One of which is this one about time...irony.<br /><br />Truth is, I like to be busy. &nbsp;Hell, I guess I could even be considered an addict based on Wikipedia's definition. &nbsp;Still, I never really thought of it as a bad thing until only recently. &nbsp;Over the past week, a few things have made it to my to do list that just don't seem like they'll work out. &nbsp;Things like "work on research ideas for grad school" and "circuit board project for road trip". &nbsp;I mean, normally things on this list can be done quickly and I can complete a bunch in a day (always a good feeling), but not doosies like these. &nbsp;No these require...something. &nbsp;Time? &nbsp;Well sure, but there's something else missing. &nbsp;I was feeling a little down about these things and others, mainly because they required...thinking?<br /><br />What the hell was I saying? &nbsp;People have always told me I'm a smart guy, and though I'm confident enough today to say I think I am fairly bright, the idea of thinking about these things seems SO taxing. &nbsp;Why? &nbsp;I like doing circuits, I want to come up with a research idea. &nbsp;However, the idea of trying to find a time slot for activities like that just seems out of this world. &nbsp;"Oh well," I thought, "I already have a million hobbies, why not just pencil it in for bits and pieces here and there?" &nbsp;Because Matt, that just doesn't work. &nbsp;I've already tried to do that with my novel, writing 30 minutes a night (already enough of a crunch) and the result has been a very slow and fragmented creative process, if you call forcing yourself to write creative. &nbsp;No, something's gotta change, but what?<br /><br />And then I finally found a moment (dunno where) to sit down and start on my latest eBook, another hobby on the back burner. &nbsp;It's a book I found randomly in Half Moon Bay one day called "Hamlet's Blackberry" and it discusses dealing with living in the connected world of today. &nbsp;I'm by no means recommending it yet, since it could get preachy, but so far it has hit all the points I've been trying to understand. &nbsp;Mainly, having all these various activities spreads us so thin, that we lack depth in many of the things we do. &nbsp;That's it! &nbsp;When we lack depth, we just scrape the surface of the things we do, not getting the chance to experience the deeper enjoyment out of becoming engrossed by an activity. &nbsp;Ah ha! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJFcENswBz8/Tcd8-bGiY0I/AAAAAAAADpo/sEONNc54bEA/s1600/hamletsblackberry_jacket_front_final1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJFcENswBz8/Tcd8-bGiY0I/AAAAAAAADpo/sEONNc54bEA/s320/hamletsblackberry_jacket_front_final1.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><br />So what is a guy (or girl) to? &nbsp;Well, I have to read another 200 pages before I find out, but in the meantime, I've determined one thing: I want time. &nbsp;Time to screw around again, to enjoy those things I love, to hangout with people and perhaps connect with them much better. &nbsp;All these years I thought I had to keep busy to enjoy life. &nbsp;Maybe I had it backwards. &nbsp;No, I'm not going to become a hermit :-P, but I AM going to try a little experiment.<br /><br />First of all, pair down my activities list. &nbsp;Just thinking of my friends' interests, I don't think anyone I know really tries to do the wide array of things I do. &nbsp;I started to write a list of things I do and things I enjoy and it just kept going:<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Road Biking</li><li>Hiking</li><li>Traveling</li><li>Writing</li><li>Volunteering</li><li>Being "Green"</li><li>Working with circuits</li><li>Blogging</li><li>Inventing/thinking of stuff</li><li>etc...</li></ul><div>Shoot, "social life" isn't even listed...so sad. &nbsp;Most people that I know seem to really focus on one thing they really like to do, and they dedicate most of their to that thing (or even that person). &nbsp;I think I need to try that as well; no more having my hands dipped in a million things. &nbsp;Time to submerge myself into a few things I really like.</div><br />Second, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, time to shelve you guys for a bit. &nbsp;Why? Well, our age group has it especially bad. &nbsp;With the Information Age, we have also been exposed to an unlimited channel of data through our phones, computers, TVs and all the other fun gadgets we can waste our time with. &nbsp;Not to mention the myriad of websites out there that will gladly take a few minutes of our time. &nbsp;What's even more amazing is how connected we are. &nbsp;It still amazes me that I can&nbsp;login&nbsp;to&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;on any given day and see 6 posts from friends all over the world who I met in Europe. &nbsp;So cool! &nbsp;However, all this information processing on a day-to-day takes time and makes us reliant on that information. &nbsp;Yes, I totally agree that&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;is an addiction (and frankly I'm afraid I'm heading for that route). &nbsp;We crave every little tweet, every&nbsp;txt, every 'like' that comes floating our way. &nbsp;John just wrote he's taking a crap as his status...sure it's stupid, but did you read it? &nbsp;My point exactly, we crave all this information even though we might not like it.<br /><br />Now, I'm not here to denounce all technology. &nbsp;That's ridiculous; I'm a gadget guy for&nbsp;pete's&nbsp;sake! &nbsp;I know how cool all this stuff is and it HAS helped us in so many ways. &nbsp;However, I think it has taken up even more of our precious time and it all needs to be taken in moderation. &nbsp;Facebooking&nbsp;once a day, not logging in every 10 minutes to check your wall. &nbsp;Sending a text message here or there instead of firing off 10 in a row. &nbsp;Maybe just taking a break and enjoying dinner, not rushing to check in to get the latest badge on 4sq. &nbsp;Social networking and technology is awesome, I just think we need to tune out every once and a while. &nbsp;Call me depressed, socially awkward, "old school", I don't care. &nbsp;I'm not, I just find this whole issue fascinating. &nbsp;Not only by how much people mull it over, but how much it effects my own day-to-day.<br /><br />Starting Monday, I'm not going to login for a week and see how it goes. &nbsp;Who knows, maybe I'll even extend it :-)<br /><br />Again, this is just something I want to try. &nbsp;It's not because I'm depressed or sad or something else. &nbsp;I'm curious to see what it's like to go back and live like it's 2003 :-P<br /><br />Whew! &nbsp;Okay, now only 3 more blogs to go! &nbsp;I'll be in touch on my blog, and you can always IM, call or text me (or even talk to me in person!), but don't expect me to respond to tweets or posts. &nbsp;I know nobody really will care, but that's not the point :-) &nbsp;This is not about making a statement, it's about seeing if I can actually live a better life when I have more time and less distraction.<br /><br />See you on the other sidel :-)<br /><br />-StMMatt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-1069986029082568082011-05-06T11:28:00.001-07:002011-05-06T11:28:10.846-07:00Testing a postHey guys, I know it's been a while. &nbsp;This month has been crazy so far. &nbsp;I have like fice friggin blogs floating around in my head and hopefully I'll get to them soon. &nbsp;For now I'm just testing to see if my blog will publish to Facebook. <br /><br />I guess all I have to say for now is "Testing...1...2...3!" :-)<br /><br />-StMMatt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843691129750741916.post-55727461526997405272011-04-10T22:15:00.000-07:002011-04-10T22:18:55.204-07:00Where's the sign for Highway One?Guess I've left y'all a little in the dark lately huh? &nbsp;Good news is I've started working on my novel everyday for a half hour now (well, minus this last week), but the bad news: less blogging. &nbsp;There's only so much time to write, you know? &nbsp;Well, we're up to 90 pages in the book so far, and I'm hopeful (VERY hopeful) that I'll have a draft out by late summer. &nbsp;In the meantime, I'll be sure to check in with some posts here and there. &nbsp;I actually have another one that I've been meaning to write, so I'll get on that. &nbsp;In the meantime, lets backtrack to the story of the post today: road trips!<br /><div><br /></div><div>Ah, road trips, there's just nothing quite like em. &nbsp;Sure, it's probably not the "greenest" habit of mine, but I don't think I'll ever be able to shake it. &nbsp;Give me a car, a stretch of lonely road and lots of random stuff to see along the way and I'm set. &nbsp;What was the occasion for this trip? &nbsp;One goal: finish driving Highway One. &nbsp;This idea started in my head less than a year ago when I drove the northern stretch of the highway while coming back from Mendocino and suddenly realized, "Man, I've almost driven this whole road, maybe I should drive the whole thing." &nbsp;Ever since then, I've been on a mission to finish Highway One and after Monday I can proudly say I'm done!</div><div><br /></div><div>This trip covered the section between Santa Maria and Dana Point, where Highway One ends. &nbsp;And the scene? Everything from the wine country of northern Santa Barbara to the beaches of Orange County with everything in between! &nbsp;I broke this trip up into a 3-day weekend with an option to hang a fourth if I needed (more on that later). &nbsp;The scenes were great, but let's just cover the highlights:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Checking out an old abandoned movie theatre north of Lompoc. &nbsp;It's too bad most of these are gone now, though the one in SLO is still going strong, double features and all!</li><li>Stopping at a random winery in Lompoc (Palmina Winery to be exact), doing a tasting, then buying two bottles of wine. &nbsp;Sure it was a bit pricey, but I considered it a tasty souvenir lol.&nbsp;</li><li>Hanging on the RR tracks north of SB. &nbsp;A great opportunity for pics, though I'm still a bit rail-shy after Carmine, Rob and I almost got hit in SLO by a train we thought we'd hear coming haha.</li><li>Scooted through SB before stopping by Ventura. &nbsp;MAN there are a lotta thrift stores! &nbsp;It's nice and quiet compared to SB too.</li><li>Santa Monica was awesome; I loved the pier and the hostel I stayed at. &nbsp;Thanks to Gretta and my two Australian roomies for hanging out, it's always a blast! &nbsp;Course I had the loud snorer in the bunk above me who got in at 4 a.m., but hey, it's the hostel way! &nbsp;In the future, I think I'll try Couchsurfing or just motels. &nbsp;You really need a few days in a place to enjoy the people's company at the hostel.</li><li>Glad to see the spiffy new bike lanes in Long Beach and all the surfer dudes in Huntington. &nbsp;Newport was a little too pricey for me to stop by lol, but Laguna was cool, even got my dad's Father's Day gift. &nbsp;Now if I can only remember in June...</li><li>Nick and Becca, it was awesome hanging with you! &nbsp;It's great to talk to another hardware guy from school and catchup. &nbsp;Thanks for the great Mexican food (best the farther south you go) and the eggs in a basket for breakfast!<egg bread="" things=""></egg></li><li>Brenna, what can I say? &nbsp;I am absolutely STUNNED that you made it out here! &nbsp;The first person to visit me in 5-6 years out here. &nbsp;Wow. &nbsp;Great times with you and Carolyn. &nbsp;Yes, ducks can fly lol and I still can't believe a tree fell on your parent's car! &nbsp;I only wish I coulda stayed longer and helped you out with the beeramid lol. &nbsp;But hey, you'll be back this summer, and you'll be in the Bay, which is awesome!</li></ul><div>Of course, the crowning moment of this trip came Saturday afternoon when I arrived in Dana Point. &nbsp;My mission: find the "CA-1 Ends" sign, just like I did in Leggett up north (<a href="http://blog.mattstaniszewski.net/2010/05/i-wonder-if-up-has-wifi.html">see my previous CA-1 post</a>) &nbsp;After a half hour of driving down the wrong stretch of the road (at that point called the Coast Highway) and getting on I-5 (excuse me, "The 5" down there :-). &nbsp;Where was the damn sign? &nbsp;Well, like everything else on much of this SoCal strip, I just chalked the missing sign up to the building up of the surrounding area. &nbsp;In the end I settled for a CA-1/I-5 sign and I was set to drive down to SD to hang with Nick.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzO8zEsdioY/TaKNi_fTgoI/AAAAAAAADpI/JY8HDdz0Ogc/s1600/P1040670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzO8zEsdioY/TaKNi_fTgoI/AAAAAAAADpI/JY8HDdz0Ogc/s320/P1040670.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>When Sunday afternoon came, I decided that rather than wait for Carolyn's roomie to come home and see if I could stay and find out I'd need a hotel, I decided to drive 8 hours STRAIGHT from LA to SJ. &nbsp;Good idea? &nbsp;I don't know about that, BUT it was fun. &nbsp;I got a great sleep on Saturday night so I was all good. &nbsp;Give me some techno and a Starbucks double shot (no not a real shot Tara :-P) and I was set. &nbsp;Of course I got in at 3 a.m. and went into work at 9 a.m., but hey, that's just how I roll. &nbsp;Oh, I had a passenger too! &nbsp;Vlad finally decided he needed a ride from Marlize's place in SB to Kristen in Sunnyvale. &nbsp;He was a great guess, although I drove slower so that a cop didn't pull over and think I had a dead body in the back lol.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9iLOdKCqsM/TaKN8MqRpHI/AAAAAAAADpM/a6wV526U2IQ/s1600/P1040685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9iLOdKCqsM/TaKN8MqRpHI/AAAAAAAADpM/a6wV526U2IQ/s320/P1040685.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So what did I think? &nbsp;Well, I've put together a nice graphical Google Map to show you my vote for the best stretches of Highway One. &nbsp;<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=202343094523570053276.0004a09cd0d723291c693&amp;ll=34.070862,-118.630371&amp;spn=15.626268,33.815918&amp;z=6">Check it out.</a>&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B75376utJj4/TaKPNzbbI9I/AAAAAAAADpQ/_RRin3EyzwA/s1600/ca1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B75376utJj4/TaKPNzbbI9I/AAAAAAAADpQ/_RRin3EyzwA/s320/ca1.png" width="255" /></a></div><br /><br />Green = definitely do it!, Orange = meh, you can skip it, Red = skip PLEASE. &nbsp;Monterey to SLO is still my #1 vote, although part of it still is missing right now :-) &nbsp;Ok, as for sections (compare to my previous post above):</div><div><br /></div><div>Santa Maria --&gt; Lompoc: Eh, not much going on, but a nice peaceful, open road. &nbsp;Lompoc has some cool little shops and wineries.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lompoc --&gt; Santa Barbara: The inland part's okay, but you can skip it and just do the US-101/CA-1 stretch to SB along the coast.</div><div><br /></div><div>SB --&gt; Oxnard: Right on the water and a bunch of cool picture spots</div><div><br /></div><div>Oxnard --&gt; Point Mugu: SKIP, nothing to see and lots of traffic (esp at rush hour lol)</div><div><br /></div><div>Point Mugu --&gt; Santa Monica: Pretty cool and right along the water, although not as intense of a drive as my fav part. &nbsp;Malibu is cool but gets backed up. &nbsp;The pier at Santa Monica is worth it.</div><div><br /></div><div>LA --&gt; Seal Beach: SKIP. &nbsp;Although it's kinda cool to drive through all the little cities in LA, it's very slow going and most of the time there's nothing to see but sprawl.</div><div><br /></div><div>Huntington Beach --&gt; Dana Point: Check it out, gives you a real taste of SoCal. &nbsp;All the various beach towns have their own style and lots of stuff to check out.</div><div><end all="" driving="" night="" point,=""></end></div></div><div><br />I may be biased, but I like the NorCal/CenCal portion much better. &nbsp;To me, Highway One is about an open road with barely any cars on a winding route, not driving on a 4 lane highway in a city.<br /><br />So what's next? &nbsp;On my way back, I just so happened to drive all the way up US-101 from the beginning, so now I feel like I should drive all of US-101. &nbsp;Also, now that I'll be in Seattle, I can take one of my vacations and drive the whole rest of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) down to SF. &nbsp;Yes, Highway One is part of it, but not the whole thing.<br /><br />Before any of that though, I'm thinking Route 66 this summer in August? &nbsp;You in? &nbsp;I'm looking for someone (or someones) to drive from LA to Chicago on 66 with me. &nbsp;I want to go home for my bday before I come back out to Cali and move north to Seattle, so I thought this might be fun. &nbsp;Trouble is cars are so expensive for a one-way rental, so it's just a thought at this point. &nbsp;One thing this road trip definitely taught me was to not make plans for each night. &nbsp;I mean, I know I don't have to make it to my friend's house or the hostel, but it just always nags at you, you know? &nbsp;Yea, definitely doing the cross country road trip with no end points.<br /><br />We will see how all this goes. &nbsp;After a week off from biking and writing, it's back to routine this week. &nbsp;Off to pack a lunch, later kids!<br /><br />-StM</div><div><br /></div><div><segments 1="" of=""></segments></div><div><br /></div><div><issues roadtrip="" the="" with=""></issues></div><div><br /></div><div><next: pch,="" r66?=""></next:></div>Matt Staniszewskihttps://plus.google.com/103944529797872526947noreply@blogger.com0